Coronavirus: Digital health pass 'IATA Travel Pass' to be out soon

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Monday announced that it is in the final development phase of the IATA Travel Pass, a digital health pass that will support the safe reopening of borders.

According to an official statement issued by the IATA, the governments are beginning to use testing as a means of limiting the risks of COVID-19 importation when re-opening their borders to travelers without quarantine measures. "IATA Travel Pass will manage and verify the secure flow of necessary testing or vaccine information among governments, airlines, laboratories and travelers."

"IATA is calling for systematic COVID-19 testing of all international travelers and the information flow infrastructure needed to enable this must support -- Governments with the means to verify the authenticity of tests and the identity of those presenting the test certificates; Airlines with the ability to provide accurate information to their passengers on test requirements and verify that a passenger meets the requirements for travel; Laboratories with the means to issue digital certificates to passengers that will be recognized by governments; and Travelers with accurate information on test requirements, where they can get tested or vaccinated, and the means to securely convey test information to airlines and border authorities," the statement said.

Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO, said, "Today borders are double locked. Testing is the first key to enable international travel without quarantine measures. The second key is the global information infrastructure needed to securely manage, share and verify test data matched with traveler identities in compliance with border control requirements. That's the job of IATA Travel Pass. We are bringing this to market in the coming months to also meet the needs of the various travel bubbles and public health corridors that are starting operation."

The first cross-border IATA Travel Pass pilot is scheduled for later this year and the launch slated for quarter one 2021.

(ANI)