Last spring, there was a lot of talk about so-called “immunity passports.”

These were supposed to be passports that people would possess after they had tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.

The idea was that these people would be less of a risk or perhaps at no risk of contracting the virus again and so it would be safe for them to enter back into society.

These passports never really gained traction.

Perhaps it was the mixed scientific opinions on immunity or just because it just wasn’t a very useful idea.

But now there is a new concept of a “vaccination passport” that is being seriously considered.

Certain countries around the world and places like Asia and the Pacific are considering the possibility of requiring vaccination passports for international travelers.

In Australia, Qantas is considering requiring all passengers to have a vaccination passport before they can travel abroad or even land in Australia.

Qantas has also reportedly been talking to other airlines around the world about enforcing such a requirement.

“We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travelers, that we will ask people to have the vaccination before they get on the aircraft,” Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce told Australia’s Network Nine television.

Asking about vaccinations is nothing new for immigration.

If you travel to certain locations such as the Maldives you’ve probably had to fill out a passport card that required you to tick off a box as proof of vaccination.

But they are actually talking about taking further steps by trying to figure out a way to electronically verify that people have received the vaccine.

Tracing vaccination records across countries seems like an extremely daunting task.

I understand some countries are very serious about wanting to avoid letting loose a highly contagious virus in their country if they have been successful so far in keeping their cases down.

However, the idea of tracing these records electronically just does not seem that promising.

Still, there is talk about from other airlines like Korean Air who are being vocal about the possibilities of requiring vaccinations.

If you can’t prove your prior vaccination, most likely you will have to quarantine when you arrive in the new country, so you still can probably arrive at some of these places.

I think the biggest issue that many people will have is that this type of regulation likely will only be enforced with airlines and foreign governments working in tandem.

Allowing governments to control which people with a valid passport can enter or exit the country based on vaccination status sounds like a bad plan to many people.

There’s a lot that could go wrong in that scenario whether it be abuse of the system or just negligent application.

If you’ve ever been held up in an immigration line for no apparent reason then you could forsee many more issues happening in the future because of this.

“Ultimately, it’s up to governments to determine when and how it is safe to reopen borders and we continue to work closely with authorities on this,” Air New Zealand said in a statement.

All of these countries like Australia and New Zealand have had pretty strict border restrictions ever since the breakout of the pandemic so it’s not a surprise that they would be leading this type of charge.

And while I think it is admirable for countries like that to want to take proactive measures to prevent the spread from breaking out in their countries, trying to enforce a mandatory vaccine requirement that is traceable electronically or via an app just doesn’t quite feel like the right move.

H/T

When the pandemic first started to break out back in February of this year, many people wanted to stay as far away from airplanes as possible.

The idea was that a contagious virus could easily circulate through a metal tube and infect people throughout the entire cabin.

But we soon started to hear that the air quality inside of an airplane was actually pretty safe. This was allegedly due to the high air exchange rates and HEPA filters.

But is this actually true?

Well, a new study conducted for the Department of Defense ads support to the belief that you run a low risk of contracting the coronavirus when flying inside of an airplane.

This study found that the risk of aerosol dispersion which is basically the transmission of the virus through the air, was reduced 99.7% thanks to the “high air exchange rates, HEPA-filtered recirculation and downward ventilation found on modern jets.”

The study involves studying the cabins of Boeing 767 and 777, two types of aircraft that are often used on long-haul flights where you might expect the virus to spread easily over time.

Researchers released a fluorescent tracer and aerosols that represented the droplets that would be released by exhaling or coughing and then they looked to see what the impact was on multiple “breathing zones.”

The findings: “An average 99.99% reduction was measured for the 40+ breathing zones tested in each section of both
airframes.”

This has some airline executives feeling better about the claims regarding aircraft safety when it comes to the coronavirus.

“The reality is those tests are indicative of what happens on every airplane. An aircraft is just a remarkably safe environment,”  United CEO Scott Kirby said.

The study was conducted by an entire team which consisted of members from United Airlines, Boeing, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, National Strategic Research Institute and research firms.

The findings of the study are not necessarily groundbreaking or new as many others have been stating that air quality inside of a plane is about as good as it gets.

In fact, the study found that the contamination inside the aircraft was actually less than what is found in private residences.

“The 767 and 777 both removed particulate 15 times faster than a home … and five to six times faster than recommended design specifications for modern hospital operating or patient isolation rooms,” the study continued.

So if you are thinking about flying for the upcoming holidays and you are worried about your safety with respect to the virus, I don’t think that you have a lot to worry about in terms of your risk inside the cabin.

Obviously, there are other risks that you could face such as just standing near people in line for airport security or while spending time inside of a lounge.

But with all of the increased sanitation, individuals wearing masks, and the efficient air filtration and circulation systems, you should at least be able to be a little bit at ease when flying.

H/T