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"COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis" 4th Mar 2021

Five Minute Briefing

Twelve criteria for the development and use of COVID-19 vaccine passports

Vaccine passports are certificates to establish proof of vaccination linked to the identity of the holder; the purpose of a passport is to aid the return to pre-COVID-19 activities and allow travel without compromising personal or public health

This rapid review of vaccine passports is from the Royal Society to assistin the understanding and control of COVID-19

Vaccine passports are certificates to establish proof of vaccination linked to the identity of the holder; the purpose of a passport is to aid the return to pre-COVID-19 activities and allow travel without compromising personal or public health.

We propose 12 criteria that should be satisfied by a COVID-19 vaccine passport. A passport should:

  • Meet benchmarks for COVID-19 immunity;
  • Accommodate differences between vaccines in their efficacy, and changes in vaccine efficacy against emerging SARS CoV-2 variants.
  • It should be: internationally standardised with
  • Verifiable credentials
  • For defined uses, and
  • Based on a platform of interoperable technologies
  • Secure for personal data
  • Portable
  • Affordable for individuals and governments.
  • Legal
  • Ethical (equity and non-discrimination) standards,
  • The conditions of use should be understood and accepted by passport holders.

Current evidence suggests that a COVID-19 vaccine passport system is feasible, but that not all criteria have yet been satisfied and consideration should be given to what longer term precedents (e.g., commercial accessibility of registers, expanded state health surveillance) this may create

Twelve criteria for the development and use of COVID-19 vaccine passports
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COVAX vaccine deliveries to Africa begin ramping up
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Vaccine hesitancy and crime
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From 'Jolene' To Vaccine: Dolly Parton Gets COVID-19 Shot She Helped Fund
Country music legend Dolly Parton got a taste of her own medicine on Tuesday when she received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine whose research she helped fund. Parton, 75, documented the moment in a video posted to social media in which she encouraged eligible viewers to get the shot and broke into a modified rendition of "Jolene" to that effect. "Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I'm begging of you please don't hesitate," she sang. "Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, 'cause once you're dead then that's a bit too late." Dr. Naji Abumrad of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center administered a dose of the Moderna vaccine to Parton, who was wearing a sweater with shoulder cutouts for the occasion. The two have a long-running friendship; they met in 2013 when Parton was admitted to the emergency room following a car accident and have since grown close.