WHO Not in Favor of Mandating ‘Vaccine Passports’ for COVID-19
A vaccine passport is a digital or paper document that proves that an individual has been vaccinated against Covid-19. It is gaining popularity in many counties that are making it mandatory for international travel.
According to the latest reports, WHO is not in favor of mandating vaccine passports for Covid-19 for travelling purposes. A senior official at the World Health Organization said that so-called 'vaccine passports' for novel coronavirus should not be utilized for international travel. The reason being multiple concerns, including ethical considerations that vaccines for coronavirus are not easily available on a global level.
Addressing a press briefing, Dr. Michael Ryan, WHO Emergencies Chief highlighted that there are “real practical and ethical considerations" for various countries considering making use of vaccine certification as a significant condition for travel, keeping in mind that the U.N. health agency advises against vaccine passports for now.
Ryan stated that vaccination is just not available enough across the globe. He further said that novel coronavirus vaccination is also not available certainly on a fair and reasonable basis. Previously, WHO had noted that it is still not known for how long immunity lasts from the numerous licensed Covid-19 vaccines. The data related to the same are still being collected.
WHO Emergencies Chief also stated that the vaccine passport strategy might not be fair to individuals who cannot get vaccinated for certain reasons. He highlighted that requiring vaccine passports might allow inequality and unfairness further being involved in the system.
It must be noted that today, China has launched the coronavirus vaccine passport for cross-border travel.
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Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.
