Green passes are the order of the day in Europe. Well, actually order of the day if the day is July. The idea is that they will be used for travel – and countries will be able to decide if they will be used for access to other places, like museums.
The concept is interesting, but just how will it work? Will it only apply to certain vaccines? Will it be linked to passports or ids (oops – there goes Europe’s open borders). Of course it will then mean asylum seekers will be trapped in the first country they arrive in. There is a lot to sort out before it works. No wonder it will take till July.
At the same Estonia is planning to issue a digital certificate (a different one to the green pass) starting in April, and is working with WHO to produce a global certificate in a couple of years time. How on earth will that work in poorer countries – or are we happy that only the rich will travel.
All at the same time as we start talking about how we will use vaccination evidence in future (notable that the press keep saying Boris denies – which is another way of saying the press want it).
I still say we have a mechanism that is effective and already in place to register vaccinations for international travel (IHR). Is that no longer acceptable? I guess the only difference is that now the rich countries are at risk.