Gallery: Tech Developers To Roll Out Digital Health Credentials

Linda Blachly

IATA trials Travel Pass

Photo credit: IATA

IATA is trialing its Travel Pass, which is the product of cooperation with International Airlines Group (IAG), as part of an initiative to reopen borders without quarantine and assure governments they are effectively mitigating the risk of importing COVID-19. The IATA Travel Pass initiative was unveiled in late November 2020 to create a global and standardized platform for passengers to receive information on vaccine requirements, approved testing labs, as well as a secured system for labs to send test results to and authorities to retrieve them.

CommonPass to launch early in 2021

Photo credit: The Commons Project

The Common Trust Network’s CommonPass lets individuals access their lab results and vaccination records, and consent to have that information used to validate their COVID status without revealing any other underlying personal health information. Lab results and vaccination records can be accessed through existing health data systems, national or local registries or personal digital health records (Apple Health for iOS, CommonHealth for Android). Apple Health and CommonHealth let individuals store their health records securely and privately on their phones, entirely under their control. The CommonPass platform assesses whether the individual’s lab test results or vaccination records (1) come from a trusted source, and (2) satisfy the health screening requirements of the country they want to enter. CommonPass delivers a simple yes/no answer as to whether the individual meets the current entry criteria, but the underlying health information stays in the individual’s control. CommonPass is designed such that it can be accessed directly through other apps and services. The purpose of CommonPass and the Common Trust Network—in cooperation with the World Economic Forum—is to enable safer airline and cross border travel by giving both travelers and governments confidence in each traveler's verified COVID-19 status.

British tech firm launches V-Health Passport

Photo credit: VST Enterprises

British technology firm VST Enterprises (VSTE), which developed the V-Health Passport, launched its UK home COVID-19 test kit. The “at home” booking service comes with a free secure V-Health Passport, which provides tests results in 24 hours. VSTE in December 2020 launched its “Fit To Fly” secure digital health passport for airlines and airline passengers. The V-Health Passport is a secure digital health passport and contact tracing platform. It can be downloaded and used alongside any form of COVID-19 testing and vaccination that does not use unsecure bar codes and QR code technology; instead, it uses its patented VCode and VPlatform technology. Airlines and transport carriers can also download and use the system. VHealth Scan permissions also allow other items to be viewed from the issued Passport, such as travel and event tickets.

First traveler to use ICC AOKpass arrives at Changi

Photo credit: International SOS

International SOS, the International Chamber of Commerce, and AOKpass Pte. Ltd. have announced the first use of ICC AOKpass to provide a digitally verifiable COVID-19 health certificate for entrance to Singapore. The ability to authenticate health records at border points of entry will help to facilitate the safe and efficient resumption of international travel during the global pandemic. On Dec. 21, 2020, a Singapore citizen returning from Japan on Singapore Airlines flight SQ637 successfully used the ICC AOKpass for the first time, to officially present a negative COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (“PCR”) digital test result for arrival verification at Changi Airport’s immigration counters. This was the first time an immigration authority has used a blockchain based, digitally verifiable health certificate.

Digital health credentials—which includes COVID-19 testing and vaccination records—are quickly rising to the surface as key to restarting the engine of the airline industry.

 

Linda Blachly

Linda Blachly is a content producer and editor for Air Transport World and Aviation Week. She joined the company in July 2010 and is responsible for producing features for Air Transport World’s monthly magazine and engaging content for the aviationweek.com. She is based in the Washington DC office.

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