Taiwan says COVID-19 'passports' would be a good idea
02 December, 2020
COVID-19 "passports" showing peoples' inoculation and infection history will be difficult to do in practice but are a good idea, Taiwan Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said on Wednesday (Dec 2), offering support to a way to get global travel going again.
Global aviation body IATA stated last month it really is developing a set of mobile apps to greatly help passengers navigate COVID-19 travel restrictions and securely share test and vaccine certificates with airlines and governments.
That news came soon after Australian airline Qantas said it could insist in foreseeable future that international travellers have a COVID-19 vaccination before they fly, describing the move as "a necessity".
Taiwan features kept the pandemic well under control because of early and effective prevention, and has been very cautious about when it may re-open up its borders, which remain largely closed to visitors.
Asked whether he assumed IATA's COVID "passport" was a good one, Chen said such a thing was "not simple to perform", pointing to complications such as certificate verification between countries.
"But we anticipate this kind of strategy getting developed, so everyone can possess a clearer grasp of the health or vaccination situation" of individuals, he told reporters.
"While there's no way it really is 100 per cent, if a great authentication mechanism between countries and ports could be developed it could be helpful," Chen added.
Taiwan has seen a good slow but steady upsurge in the quantity of imported virus cases, which includes unnerved the government even though there are just around 100 active infections altogether on the island who are actually either found in isolation or appearing treated in hospital.
The government has responded with a tightening of measures, including mandating negative COVID-19 tests for almost all arrivals.
While additional countries are discovering "travel bubbles", Chen said that had not been something Taiwan was considering at the moment.
A hotly-anticipated flights bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong has been delayed until subsequent year, the cities' authorities said on Tuesday, due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong.
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