Countries and companies are eager to make international travel easier and safer. As the global pandemic grinds on, several airports are launching a trial run of an app. The app aims to give passengers an easy way to verify coronavirus lab results and vaccination records.
Called CommonPass, the app is being rolled out this month for some passengers who are flying to or from London. Additional locations are; New York, Hong Kong, and Singapore on Cathay Pacific Airways and United Airlines. The app is a product of the Commons Project Foundation & the World Economic Forum.
As part of the design, before boarding, passengers take a coronavirus test at a certified laboratory and upload their results to the app. Some countries will also require travelers to complete a health screening survey. This will be done on the app to ensure they fit inbound requirements.
If everything is correct, the app will then confirm the passenger’s eligibility and provide them a QR code to present to airline and border officials. The QR code can also be printed to accommodate those without mobile devices.
In addition to reducing waits and confusion at airlines, CommonPass aims to decrease reliance on blanket quarantines. Some countries have imposed on inbound travelers. While the app would provide a streamlined way of verifying someone’s coronavirus testing status, public health experts have cautioned that tests are still not foolproof and urge anyone exposed to someone with the coronavirus to self-quarantine, either way.
Source: Washington Post
