Speeding Up Vaccine Passports... Increasing Vaccination Inequality

Excluding Countries That Have Not Started Vaccination
Secondary Neglect and Safety Issues Also Raised

Chinese version of vaccine passport 'International Travel Health Certificate'
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] As it marks exactly one year since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 pandemic, countries around the world are accelerating the introduction of vaccine passports. A vaccine passport is a system that records COVID-19 vaccination status and is used like a certificate when traveling abroad.

According to major foreign media on the 10th (local time), Spain is planning to introduce a vaccine passport as early as May. Reyes Maroto, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, stated in an interview with Spain's Antena3 broadcast that "the vaccine passport can be used in conjunction with the Madrid International Tourism Fair held in May."

European Union (EU) member countries, which heavily depend on the tourism industry including Spain, are actively introducing vaccine passports. Starting with Iceland, which issued the world's first vaccine passport in January, Greece, Italy, Sweden, and Portugal have expressed their intention to adopt the system. The EU plans to announce the introduction of the 'Digital Green Pass,' a vaccine passport for EU member countries, on the 17th.

China launched its version of the vaccine passport, the 'International Travel Health Certificate' application, on the 8th, which includes vaccination and COVID-19 test information. Thailand, a leading tourist country in Southeast Asia, will reduce the self-quarantine period to 7 days for incoming travelers presenting vaccination certificates starting next month, and Vietnam will allow entry of vaccinated foreigners from July.

However, the WHO and some countries oppose vaccine passports. They argue that considering vaccine procurement, supply processes, and preventive effects, there are issues of inequality and safety. Michael Ryan, WHO Executive Director of the Health Emergencies Programme, warned, "Not everyone can be vaccinated under equal conditions," and "the introduction of vaccine passports engraves inequality and unfairness."

Concerns have been raised that not only countries unable to secure vaccines but also pregnant women, young people who are lower in vaccination priority, and infants and children not included in vaccination recommendations will be marginalized. Cl?ment Beaune, France's Secretary of State for European Affairs, who opposes the policy, criticized, "The vaccine passport policy, which grants privileges only to certain groups, is an attack on freedom rights."

Another issue is that COVID-19 vaccines cannot fully guarantee safety from infection risk. Ryan said, "We still do not know how long the immunity from currently authorized vaccines lasts and are still collecting related data." He also added concerns about personal information privacy.

Meanwhile, the South Korean government has taken a cautious stance on the introduction of vaccine passports. On the 9th, Lee Sang-won, Head of the Epidemiological Investigation and Analysis Team at the Central Disease Control Headquarters, stated, "We will decide on the policy reflecting scientific evidence and global trends."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.