What are the pros and cons to "vaccine passports?"

Vaccine passports may be the next required travel documentation for those traveling internationally, whether they are going for vacation, business, an assignment or relocating. These passports can take the form of either a signed and stamped paper certificate or a QR code that can be stored on your phone. Many tech companies are currently working on apps that would support the travel process and allow vaccinated individuals to bypass any quarantine requirements.

Currently, there are several countries that are rolling them out, including Bahrain, Israel, China and Greece, while many others — like the UK and the 27 members of the EU — are considering the idea of requiring documentation for those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to be allowed inside their borders. According to this Fast Company article, Seychelles, Cyprus, Georgia, Romania, Poland, Iceland and Estonia will require travelers to have a COVID-19 vaccination to enter.

Airlines, which could lose $95 billion this year because of Covid travel disruptions, are eager for vaccine passports. Many view them as the perfect tool, or "the Golden Ticket" as this Bloomberg article explains, for reopening borders and allowing for international travel that will help local economies and the global hospitality sector at large to resume and begin to recover from the adverse effects of the pandemic.  However, others see some negatives to the idea. Let's consider a few of the cons on vaccine passports.

Probably the primary concern is that some groups of people will be at an unfair disadvantage. The distribution of vaccines has been inequitable, with the richest countries and the richest people having the greatest access. This article from MarketWatch reports that, "In the United States, for example, Black Americans have received the vaccine at half the rate of white Americans, and the disparity is even larger for Hispanic Americans." So, while vaccine passports may open the world to many, they may also lead to discrimination — especially against the poor. So then, allowing some people certain privileges of what they can and can't do and where they can and can't go based on whether they have been vaccinated seems unfair and could create social stratification.

Then this Medium article, "Vaccine Passports Are Coming, But We’re Not Ready for Them," shares that those folks less experienced with the online world face a more challenging time navigating. The article specifically mentions that people whose incomes are below the national poverty level and older populations less comfortable with digital technology are those at a disadvantage when it comes to vaccine passports.

Another con people are pointing out is that there is not currently any standard format or universal data base. According to Fast Company, that means that certifications can be easily faked. Also, if individual countries use different standards of certification, it may become difficult to screen against fakes. The vaccine passport would need to prove not only who the person is but also that it was indeed them that received the vaccination.

Other cons also mentioned are data security challenges, and that these vaccination passports might give an inaccurate sense of the level of risk because it is still not clear how long immunity will last and the extent that the virus can be transmitted by someone who has been vaccinated. As of now, the recommendation is for those who have been vaccinated to wear masks and maintain social distancing practices.

But ultimately the pros might outweigh the cons. Per Firstpost, the tourism industry estimates that there were more than US$1 trillion in losses due to COVID-19, hence a reopening of travel would be much-needed relief. Vaccination passports could allow families separated by local lockdowns, or state or country border restrictions, to meet in person. Local restaurants, theatres and entertainment venues of all types could also use them to begin getting back up to capacity. Some employers are also considering requiring proof of vaccination for an employee to return to work in the office.

All eyes are currently on Israel with their "green pass." Those who are fully vaccinated and those who have recovered from COVID-19 can obtain a green pass that will grant them access to activities that largely disappeared over the past year as the words "social distancing" and "lockdown" entered the lexicon, according to this CNN article. Israeli people are motivated to get vaccinated in order to get the pass. There are some reported flaws to the system, such as staff at venues not being required to have had the vaccine. Also, there have been technical difficulties in some locations and the process does open itself up to the challenge of pass authenticity. For more, listen to this episode on The Daily podcast, where they explore "Life After the Vaccine in Israel."

Not knowing at this point which way things will go, the World Health Organization has asked that countries make sure that if they do implement vaccine passports, that they avoid creating additional health inequities and/or increasing the digital divide.

The reality is that many countries (and territories) are looking at how to accept vaccinated travelers, and for a list of them, try this article from Simply Flying.

Where do you sit: For or against vaccine passports?