MyResidence: Vaccine Passports in Africa
VACCINE PASSPORTS IN AFRICA
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published a guidance document on introducing a digital Covid-19 vaccination certificate – known as a Digital Documentation of Covid-19 Certificates: Vaccination Status (DDCC:VS).
What is a vaccination passport?
A vaccine passport is a document that serves as proof that you have been vaccinated or protected against certain infections. This document can be presented in digital formatting like a phone app or it can be physical, such as a small paper card. Individuals can carry their vaccination passport and show it if required when attending large events, travelling to other countries or entering public places.
The COVID-19 vaccine passport system is a way for the government, businesses and companies to help reopen society.
Countries that are using vaccine passports
China: China introduced a digital vaccine passport to be accessed via an app that would allow people to verify their vaccination status by scanning a QR code. This QR code system categorised individuals into different colours. A green colour allows people to move around without restrictions while someone with a yellow code may be asked to stay at home for seven days.
European Union: An EU vaccine passport is being introduced across all 27 member nations including Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. EU citizens and non-EU nationals living in EU states of these nations can download it or obtain a paper copy – at no cost.
Israel: Israel’s vaccine passport helped increase the uptake of the vaccine, especially amongst younger people. The green pass system allows individuals to attend large events or enter certain public spaces.
Australia: Vaccinated Australians have a digital certificate on their mobiles. The Guardian reports on the Australian vaccine, “The ‘highly authenticated’ digital record will enable international travel and be used by third parties, such as airlines and other countries’ customs officials”
Click here to see a comprehensive list of which countries have introduced vaccine passports: https://www.movehub.com/blog/countries-using-covid-passports/
There are more than a handful of African countries that have welcomed the idea of vaccination passports/ digital certificates including Zambia, Uganda, Tunisia, Sierra Leone, Mali, South Africa, Guinea, Gambia, Gabon, Egypt, Burkina Faso and Djibouti.
Industries like the tourism industry are itching to get their borders open and open up the economy for their countries. Vaccine passports help increase vaccine uptake until nations reach herd immunity, which requires over 70 percent of fully vaccinated individuals.