United Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airlines are testing a
new app that stores and verifies a traveler’s COVID-19 test status.
The “CommonPass” digital health passport is being launched
by the World Economic Forum and the Commons Project Foundation, a Swiss-based
nonprofit, in collaboration with public and private partners that include representatives
from 37 countries.
Both the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention are observing the trials, which are being
conducted with volunteers flying between London, New York, Hong Kong and
Singapore on the two airlines.
To use the CommonPass, travelers take a COVID-19 test at a
certified lab, upload the results to the app and complete any additional health
questionnaires required by the destination country.
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CommonPass confirms the traveler’s compliance with the destination’s
entry requirements and generates a QR code that code can be scanned by airline
staff and border officials. The system complies with privacy regulations such
as GDPR.
“Without the ability to trust COVID-19 tests - and
eventually vaccine records - across international borders, many countries will
feel compelled to retain full travel bans and mandatory quarantines for as long
as the pandemic persists,” says Dr. Bradley Perkins, chief medical officer of the Commons Project.
“With trusted individual health data, countries can
implement more nuanced health screening requirements for entry.”
United Airlines will test the platform for flights between London
Heathrow Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.
“Testing is a key component of a multi-layered approach to
safely reopening travel,” says Steve Morrissey, United Airlines' vice president,
regulatory and policy.
“Trials with solutions like CommonPass are critical to
demonstrate the potential for testing as an alternative to blanket quarantine
measures or travel restrictions, while we continue to focus on the safety and health
of our customers and employees.”
Following these trials, organizers say CommonPass will be expanded
“in quick succession” to additional airlines and routes across Asia, Africa,
the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.