Tue 09 March 2021:
China has launched a digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate for its citizens planning cross-border travels, joining other countries issuing similar documents as they seek ways to reopen their economies.
The digital certificate, which shows a user’s vaccination status and virus test results, is available for Chinese citizens via a programme on Chinese social media platform WeChat that was launched on Monday.
The certificate is being rolled out “to help promote world economic recovery and facilitate cross-border travel,” a foreign ministry spokesman said.
However the international health certificate is currently only available for use by Chinese citizens and it is not yet mandatory.
The certificate, which is also available in paper form, is thought to be the world’s first known “virus passport”.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday at a press conference, that China is to roll out a Chinese version of a health certificate, which, while protecting personal privacy, will help achieve mutual recognition of information on COVID-19 nucleic acid testing and vaccination to allow people-to-people exchange to resume in a safe and orderly way.
Wang said that China is a steadfast advocate of the fair distribution of global vaccines, and is providing vaccines to 69 developing countries for emergency use, and exporting vaccines to 43 countries.
It is not immediately clear with which countries China is talking to get its COVID-19 certificate recognised.
Rejecting outside rumors Wang Yi said that China is engaging in “vaccine diplomacy”, Wang said that China opposes “vaccine nationalism”, won’t accept an “immunity gap” and resists any attempt to politicize vaccine cooperation.
China’s programme includes an encrypted QR code that allows each country to obtain a travellers’ health information, state media agency Xinhua reported Monday.
“QR health codes” within WeChat and other Chinese smartphone apps are already required to gain entry to domestic transport and many public spaces in China.
The apps track a user’s location and produce a “green” code — synonymous with good health — if a user has not been in close contact with a confirmed case or has not travelled to a virus hotspot.
But the system has sparked privacy concerns and fears it marks an expansion of government surveillance.
The United States and Britain are among countries currently considering implementing similar permits.
The European Union is also working on a vaccine “green pass” that would allow citizens to travel between member countries and abroad.
What about discrimination?
The International Air Travel Association, which represents some 290 airlines from around the world, has seen an increasing number of airlines sign up for its so-called IATA Travel Pass. The initiative is designed to help passengers manage their travel plans and provide airlines and governments with proof that they have been vaccinated or tested for Covid-19.
In a letter seen by EURACTIV, the IATA reportedly called on EU leaders meeting on Thursday to approve vaccine passports and come to an agreement “on the crucial role of secure digital solutions, such as the IATA Travel Pass.” IATA was not immediately available to comment when contacted by CNBC on Thursday.
The World Health Organization is not currently keen on vaccine passports. In a statement published on Jan. 28, WHO officials said governments should “not introduce requirements of proof of vaccination or immunity for international travel as a condition of entry” at present.
The United Nations health agency added: “There are still critical unknowns regarding the efficacy of vaccination in reducing transmission and limited availability of vaccines.”
A report published by the Economist Intelligence Unit last month projected that the bulk of the adult population of advanced economies would be vaccinated by the middle of next year. In contrast, this timeline extends to early 2023 for many middle-income countries and even as far out as 2024 for some low-income countries.
It underscores the stark divide between high-income and low-income countries when it comes to vaccine access.
“These so-called passports claim they would ensure those who can prove they have coronavirus immunity can start to return to normal life. Which raises the question — what happens to everyone else?” Liberty, the U.K.’s largest civil liberties organization, said in a press release earlier this month.
“Countless suggestions for immunity passports have circulated. Some suggest their use would be limited to international travel — others are less specific. Meanwhile a variety of technologies have been floated, from QR codes to apps or even physical cards,” the statement continued.
“One thing every suggestion has missed is that it’s impossible to have immunity passports which do not result in human rights abuses.”
Big Brother Watch, a U.K.-based rights and democracy group, has also warned against the use of vaccine passports, citing implications on privacy and free movement, among other issues.
