Many international travelers will likely need to prove they have been vaccinated or are free of Covid-19 if they plan travel later this year, after the European Union and China both said they would be planning ‘vaccine passports’.
China is working to launch certificates indicating a person’s vaccination status or recent test results, according to the State Department. Likewise, the European Commission plans to present proposals this month for a “digital green pass” for EU citizens, which will indicate whether someone has been vaccinated, and if not, include details of their test results.
EU leaders expect it to take three months to get the program going.
“The goal is to gradually enable them [EU citizens] to travel safely within the European Union or abroad – for work or tourism, ”said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
Last week, the UK said it was also looking at the pros and cons of digital passports, after initially excluding them.