Dickson Igwe, socio-political columnist
Issues are mounting on the why, what, where, how, and when, of a vaccination passport.
Then, will a vaccine passport begin a new level of social, economic, and travel, discrimination?
The technology has long been in existence for the introduction of a vaccine passport.
And vaccine passports are rolling off the conveyor belts in a number of countries already.
In the USA a number of businesses are looking to capitalize on a business opportunity to make money by identifying who is protected from the ubiquitous virus, and who is not.
Possessing a vaccine passport will not be compulsory.
But travelers may not be able to visit a number of countries without a document that shows that they have been vaccinated against Covid 19.
That is looking like the future of travel in the age of Covid.
In the UK businesses are already developing biometric vaccine passports that are being tested by the National Health Service. This project is being funded by the Government.
The vaccine passport-expectedly- is welcomed by investors in travel, leisure, and entertainment who have experienced huge losses, the result of social distancing requirements and lockdowns.
Investors and governments will want a protocol that makes sea and air travel, and visiting leisure facilities, hotels, resorts, shows, cinemas, and so on and so forth, easier and simpler.
Simply show your vaccine passport and walk into an airplane or cruise liner, or attend a Broadway Show with no further hassle.
A vaccine passport will pose issues with human rights.
Those who refuse to get vaccinated will face consequences. They may be excluded from travel, and a whole number of activities that require social participation.
Governments, investors, and businesses around the world understand that reopening the global economy to the fullest extent and driving a return to social and economic normal, means identifying consumers who are protected against the virus, and even more importantly, those who are not.
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Dickson Igwe is an education official in the Virgin Islands. He is also a national sea safety instructor. He writes a national column across media and has authored a story book on the Caribbean: 'The Adventures of a West Indian Villager'. Dickson is focused on economics articles, and he believes economics holds the answer to the full economic and social development of the Caribbean. He is of both West African and Caribbean heritage. Dickson is married with one son.
