Last update: August 17th, 2021.
The EU Digital COVID Certificate initiative is continuing at full steam and worldwide countries are following suit.
The same goes for several other regions, countries, and international associations, which are boosting health passes, coronavirus passports, and other COVID-related initiatives to restart travel, commerce, and other social activities.
But a lack of access to vaccines and an anti-vax sentiment is creating great concerns regarding discrimination, to such a degree that data and privacy concerns are taking a back seat.
COVID passports are expected to become the new norm for traveling and many countries are opting to implement them locally to grant vaccinated citizens special access and privileges.
Are COVID passports required to fly?
Countries are implementing COVID pass restrictions at their own discretion and there are even varying rules within the EU.
Non-European countries are working on making their COVID passes compatible with the EUDCC to allow their citizens access to Europe.
EU residents must show one of the 3 COVID passports when traveling and UK residents can visit 30 countries with the NHS app showing proof of vaccination.
Israel was amongst the first to create travel corridors for holders of their green shield but soon stopped the program as vaccine uptake was rising. As cases have recently skyrocketed, the Israeli government has announced plans to bring back the green shield app for travel and large gatherings.
Australia’s borders have been some of the strictest on international arrivals and their COVID passes are still not opening free travel just yet.
Furthermore, the tourism minister of Australia, Dan Tehan, said that the Australian certificate is only for “the right to be able to travel across borders when there are lockdowns, or if there are parts of a state which have been locked down, because of an outbreak”.
Are COVID passports mandatory?
In most cases, health passports are not mandatory, although they facilitate access to certain venues, businesses, and activities, which by itself is deemed discriminatory by some citizens.
The United States and the vaccine mandate
In the United States, the government has ruled that COVID passports will not be made mandatory.
Only 4 states have created COVID passes and they are being used at a local level and are not mandatory.
Europe’s precautions to avoid COVID passport discrimination
The European Council has also addressed concerns regarding mandates for COVID passports.
The council agreed on the following points to avoid discrimination:
- Vaccine passports should be used where vaccines are readily available.
- There should be different kinds of passports to represent various eligible groups.
- Passports should be used where testing is affordable and fast.
- COVID passes must be available on paper and digitally.
- Health certificates or passports must be used for effective COVID protection only.
COVID passports have mostly been required for entertainment and travel and non-passport holders are still granted access to essential services.
The EU Council also clearly noted that “due account is taken of the situation of those who for medical reasons cannot, or, for reasons of personal opinion or belief, decline to be vaccinated; as regards the latter group, that any system of COVID pass does not become tantamount to coercion and effectively make vaccination compulsory”.
In the EU, each country operates their own certificate scheme under the umbrella of the EU operation and the necessity for vaccine passes differ from country to country.