Covid Vaccine Passports Debated As EU Mulls Russia’s, China’s Vaccines
The E.U. is moving forward with its plans for a covid passport system and also debating whether Russian and Chinese vaccines will be accepted. Meanwhile, Germany is seeing exponential case growth, and China's border restrictions are lowered somewhat.
Politico:
EU’s COVID Travel Pass Will Let Countries Choose Russia, China Vaccines
The EU's plan to get vaccinated people traveling again — the “digital green certificate” — will leave key decisions up to member countries, including whether to accept the Russian and Chinese vaccines. According to a draft of the plan obtained by POLITICO, the European Commission will propose that any EU country allowing vaccinated people to skip pandemic-related travel restrictions — such as testing or self-isolation — must accept other countries’ vaccination certificates “under the same conditions.” (Eccles and Cokelaere, 3/16)
The Wall Street Journal:
Coming ‘Vaccine Passports’ Aim For Simplicity
The first digital “vaccine passports” for post-pandemic travel have been designed as easy-to-use applications that will one day merge into other travel platforms, like airline apps, their developers say. Though popularly known as vaccine passports, the apps also include information like Covid-19 test status, and are in trial runs in several places around the world. (Deighton, 3/16)
In other global developments —
CNBC:
German Covid Cases Rising 'Exponentially' Amid Risky Vaccine Pause
It’s no secret that Germany has been seeing a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in recent weeks but one leading health expert in the country is now warning of “exponential growth” in the number of infections. This comes at a time when the country has suspended the use of the AstraZeneca-University of Oxford coronavirus vaccine. (Ellyatt, 3/17)
CNBC:
China Relaxes Border Restrictions For Those Who Received China-Made Vaccines
China is making it easier for foreigners who have been inoculated with Chinese-made coronavirus vaccines to enter the country, after shutting its borders for international travel more than a year ago due to Covid-19. Multiple Chinese embassies around the world — including those in the United States, United Kingdom, India, Israel and the Philippines — issued notices on Monday outlining how foreigners can go about applying for visas to enter China. (Ng, 3/17)
