PHOENIX – Want to travel this year? With more COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, some are already making travel plans for the next few months.
But what will travel look like in the future?
Scott Keyes with Scott’s cheap flights says it could involve testing on site.
‘In the airport’s car park there is a quick test site so you can show up and test. You can get results within 15 minutes, ‘Keyes said.
At present, different countries have different test and quarantine requirements.
A negative COVID test is required to enter the United States.
Although negative tests for domestic travel have been discussed, they have so far been ruled out.
Keyes thinks the game changer is the vaccine for many countries.
“Yes, we are going to allow vaccinated people to bypass the normal requirements of testing or quarantines,” he said.
While American tourists are still prevented from traveling to most European Union countries, Iceland, Cyprus and Poland now allow visitors from some countries with proof of vaccinations.
And how would you show that proof?
Keyes said it could be a vaccine passport. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is developing one called a “travel pass”.
It is a telephone application that allows you to view COVID requirements of a country and store and share test results and vaccine information.
IBM’s ‘health pass’ goes further. The website says the pass can also be used for “large-scale events such as a game, concert or amusement park.”
The country of Bahrain has already developed a vaccine passport. Denmark, Sweden and other countries talk about it.
The vaccine passports would also be available on paper.
There is some backlash with some calling the passports unfair in countries that have to wait for vaccinations.