PHOENIX: Are you looking forward to traveling this year? With more testing for COVID-19 and vaccines, some are already making travel plans for the coming months.
But what will the journey be like in the future?
Scott Keyes with Scott’s Cheap Flights says it could involve on-site testing.
“There are quick test sites in the airport parking lot so you can show up, give it a try. You can get results in 15 minutes,” Keyes said.
Right now, different countries have different testing and quarantine requirements.
A negative COVID test is required to arrive in the United States.
Although the negative evidence needed for domestic travel has been discussed, it has so far been ruled out.
Keyes thinks that for many countries, the game changer is the vaccine.
“Yes, we will allow vaccinated people to avoid normal testing or quarantine requirements,” he said could be an option.
Although American tourists are still unable to travel to most European Union countries, Iceland, Cyprus and Poland now allow visitors from some countries with vaccination tests.
And how would you show this test?
Keyes said it could be a vaccine passport. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is developing a so-called “travel season ticket”.
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. His website says the pass could also be used for “large-scale events such as games, concerts or amusement parks.”
The country of Bahrain has already developed a vaccine passport. Denmark, Sweden and other countries talk about it.
Vaccine passports would also be available on paper.
There are some setbacks with some who consider passports unfair to countries that have to wait for vaccines.