The World Health Organization is working on a 'smart digital certificate' for people fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), a senior WHO official said on Thursday. During a news conference, WHO Europe director Hans Kluge said that the UN health agency “very strongly” encourages vaccinated individuals to have the documentation, however, distinguished it from 'vaccine passport'.
"We encourage very strongly – as with any vaccine – that there is a documentation, whether this is paper-based or preferably digital,” said Kluge. “But this is something different than a passport. We do not encourage at this stage that getting a vaccination is determining whether you can travel internationally or not. It should not be a requirement," he added.
Why is WHO making the distinction?
Kluge cited ethical and scientific reasons for the distinction between a smart digital certificate and a vaccine passport. Highlighting the global shortage of Covid-19 vaccine, the top WHO Europe official said that vaccine passport would increase the inequities as vulnerable people got disproportionately hit by the pandemic.
“There is a global shortage of vaccines. So this would increase the inequities, and if there's one thing that we learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, it is that the vulnerable people got hit disproportionally," he told the news conference.
Elaborating on the scientific reason, Kluge further said that the WHO is not sure about the longevity of immunity against Covid-19 after inoculation and vaccinated individuals may still be able to transmit the virus. He also cited a “practical reason” for the distinction, saying the WHO is working within an "international trusted framework, we have to document whether people got the vaccine."
{{/usCountry}}Elaborating on the scientific reason, Kluge further said that the WHO is not sure about the longevity of immunity against Covid-19 after inoculation and vaccinated individuals may still be able to transmit the virus. He also cited a “practical reason” for the distinction, saying the WHO is working within an "international trusted framework, we have to document whether people got the vaccine."
{{/usCountry}}Kluge, meanwhile, has also urged countries across Europe to continue using the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, amid concerns over a small number of cases of blood coagulation. He stressed that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine, at this point in time, far outweigh any risks.
“As of now, we do not know whether some or all of the conditions have been caused by the vaccine or by other coincidental factors," he said.