Air travel was crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic and public and private sectors are looking for safe ways to resuscitate the industry. Vaccination passports may be the answer, but how would we implement them?

As of January 30, 2021, more than 94 million COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered, accounting for 1.3% of the world’s population. The US is in the lead, having vaccinated at least one doses to more than 29 million people or 7.2% of the population. Canada has vaccinated almost one million people.

World charts based on data from Our World In Data

In addition to the approved Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, three others are in Phase 3 of clinical trials. Johnson and Johnson recently announced its Single-Shot Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate showed 66% effectiveness against severe COVID-19 illness and variants. Current availability of vaccines is limited, but supply is expected to increase over the next few months as production ramps up.

Travel hurdles: Testing, Quarantine and Immunity

Reliable rapid testing and vaccination rollouts give us hope for a return to normal travel. Proof of negative COVID-19 test results are already a mandatory part of travel to several international destinations. Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau announced that passengers arriving in Canada will be required to undergo COVID testing at the airport and quarantine in a hotel until negative test results are confirmed. It is highly likely that proof of vaccinations will become standard travel documentation. Qantas was one of the first airlines to express requiring “proof of vaccination” to fly.

Vaccination Passport: Digital, Verifiable Proof

There is a clear need for a transparent, secure and convenient way to show proof of vaccinations. MIMOSI Health is a digital health platform that streamlines COVID-19 testing and vaccination workflows. MIMOSI Health supports safe air travel by providing a way for passengers to book testing or vaccination appointments and securely share results with relevant authorities. Fragmented stakeholders across healthcare, government and the airline industry can access trusted, real-time data to make informed decisions.