LONDON (Reuters) – Governments and developers around the world are exploring the possible use of ‘vaccine passports’ as a way to reopen the economy by identifying those protected against the coronavirus.
However, those who develop the technologies say that such instruments have consequences, such as excluding whole groups from social participation, and urge legislators to think seriously about how they are used.
The travel and entertainment industry, which has struggled to be profitable while introducing social regulations, is particularly interested in a way to quickly check who has protection.
Among the passports developed are the biometrics industry iProov and the cyber security firm Mvine, which has built a vaccine pass that is now being tested within the UK National Health Service after receiving UK government funding.
IProov founder and CEO Andrew Bud believes such vaccine passports need only two pieces of information.
‘The one is, has this person been vaccinated? And the other is: what does this person look like? ‘
You only need to fit a face with a vaccination status; you do not need to know the person’s identity, he added.
Confirming protectors’ vaccination status could help the economy at night, which employs about 420,000 people in the city of Manchester in the north of England, off the knees, experts say.
“We need to look at how we can become normal again,” said Sacha Lord, an industry consultant and co-founder of the city’s Parklife Music Festival.
Although there have been experiments with concerts and events that have been socially distanced in recent years, they have not been financially viable, he said.
A performance is not a concert or a party is not a party unless you stand shoulder to shoulder with your friends.
“I do not think we should force people into the vaccine passports. It must be a choice. But if you do not have that passport, we will give you another option, ‘he added, suggesting that coronavirus tests be used.
Bud said vaccine certificates are being introduced in some countries, and in the United States, some private-health certificates are being used to admit customers to sporting events.
‘I think vaccine certificates raise major social and political issues. Our task is to provide the technological basis for enabling vaccine passports and certificates … It is not our place to judge whether this is a good idea or not, ‘he said.
Potential issues could arise about discrimination, privilege and exclusion of the younger generation who will be last in line to be vaccinated, he said, adding that he believes the government is considering it carefully.
Reporting by Natalie Thomas; Writing by Alexandra Hudson; Edited by Mike Collett-White