PHOENIX – Do you expect to travel this year? With more testing and COVID-19 vaccines, some are already making travel plans for the coming months.
But what will travel be like in the future?
Scott Keyes of Scott’s Cheap Flights says this may involve testing on the spot.
“In the airport parking lot, have quick test locations so you can show up, get tested. You can get the results in 15 minutes, ”said Keyes.
Different countries currently have different testing and quarantine requirements.
A negative COVID test is required to enter the United States.
Although there has been discussion about negative tests needed for domestic travel, it has so far been discarded.
Keyes believes that, for many countries, the watershed is the vaccine.
“Yes, we will allow people who have been vaccinated to ignore normal testing or quarantine requirements,” he said, could be an option.
Although American tourists are still unable to travel to most countries in the European Union, Iceland, Cyprus and Poland now allow visitors from some countries with proof of vaccination to enter.
And how would you show that evidence?
Keyes said it could be a vaccine passport. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is developing a so-called “travel pass”.
It is a phone application that allows you to view a country’s COVID requirements and store and share test results and vaccine information.
IBM’s “health pass” goes further. Its website says the pass can also be used for “large-scale events, such as a game, show or amusement park”.
The country of Bahrain has already developed a passport for the vaccine. Denmark, Sweden and other countries are talking about this.
Vaccine passports would also be available on paper.
There is some resistance, with some calling passports unfair to countries that need to wait for vaccines.