Vaccine passports are on their way, with The Australian Digital Health Agency now having issued a Request for Tender for a new “digital health mobile channel,” made for monitoring the confirmation of a user’s COVID-19 vaccination and test status.
This essentially means that the government is looking to develop an app or other mobile application that displays an authenticated proof of vaccination and is asking developers to send them proposals for this.
The given timeframe is prior to December 2021 and the app will link with the Government’s My Health Record platform.
The app will offer easy access to COVID-19 immunisation status, evidence of immunisation and pathology results.
While the app is still currently a proposal rather than a finished product, the key takeaway is that Australian’s will be needing vaccine passports. However, the key question is what exactly will we need it for. It might just be for international travel or domestic as well. The passports could even be used more broadly with countries such as Ireland considering adopting them for events and dining.
Other questions remain around what might happen to those unable to get vaccinated for health reasons or young children.
Developing vaccine passports follows on with what the rest of the world has been doing, with the European Union launching their own vaccine passports at the start of the month, with the aim of restoring freedom of travel to its residents. All members of the EU are now introducing the passports, which gives vaccinated travellers the same rights as citizens of the country they visit.
In Israel where vaccination rates are high, those who are vaccinated receive a “green pass,” that allows them access to public venues such as gyms, entertainment establishments and restaurants, with venues having the right to deny those without proof of vaccination to enter.
This news arrives at an interesting time, with many Australian’s who are already fully vaccinated currently in lockdown and questioning why this is.
A vaccine passport could also potentially be the solution to this.
