A new digital health “passport” starting tests this week in hopes of safely reopening global travel
This week launches a pretty exciting step toward being able to open up borders safely to the travel that has been so sadly lacking this year.
The Commons Project Foundation has announced that they will begin their pilot testing this week for CommonPass, a digital health pass and app that ensures a traveler knows and follows the testing & vaccine requirements of their destination country, and assures governments that said traveler is certified compliant, and allowed entry according to those requirements. All of this with the assurance that the traveler’s privacy has been protected.
With each country having their own differing criteria for testing and quarantine measures, and with those rules differing for travelers entering from different countries and states, it’s been very confusing for travelers to know what is needed of them.
CommonPass would eliminate the guessing game. You would be able to log into the app, see what testing (and eventually vaccinations) is needed, and what labs have been universally approved for that testing. Once you’re tested or vaccinated, those records and results would be uploaded to the CommonPass network, and the app will tell you if you’re good to go. This also produces a QR code to be scanned at airports to show those results, and is readable universally, no matter what language the gate agent speaks.
The Commons Project has brought together 350 leaders from the public and private sectors of 52 countries to design this common framework, hopefully enabling safe border reopenings.
The pilot testing this week will start with two routes: A flight with United Airlines and volunteers traveling between London Heathrow Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, and a flight with Cathay Pacific Airways and volunteers traveling between Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore Changi International Airport.
“Our goal is to test and refine a system that would best support the progressive and safe re-opening of travel, through the adoption of a trusted and harmonized global framework,” said Lavinia Lau, Director Commercial of Cathay Pacific Airways. “The CommonPass framework can incorporate specific requirements of individual countries and governments, and can be used to provide more assurance to travelers as well as the population of destination countries.”
“Partners across the globe are looking for sustainable solutions to keep travel healthy, responsible and safe,” said Dr. Martin S. Cetron, Director, Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, CDC. “CDC is eager to learn from the CommonPass pilot, as it could be one of the many potential tools that may one day contribute to a safe, responsible and healthy global air travel experience.”
After these pilot tests, CommonPass will roll out expanded trails with additional airlines and routes across North and South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Here’s to wishing for some successful results!!
Original Press Release: HERE