Digital Vaccine Passports Are Coming to Australia 'Within Weeks'

Digital vaccine passports will be coming to Australian shores in a few weeks' time.

In a Cosmos Magazine report, the digital vaccine passports are expected to arrive shortly following a rise in the number of infections in New South Wales and Victoria, both of which have already indicated hitting 70-80% of their vaccination targets. As such, the two states are now mulling to a widespread easing of restrictions, as well as suggesting that specific freedoms will only be available to fully vaccinated individuals.

According to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, fully vaccinated people will be getting these specific freedoms as soon as 70% of vaccine-eligible residents are fully inoculated. The freedoms mentioned included going to restaurants and other hospitality venues, personal care establishments such as gyms and hairdressers, and being allowed to invite five people over to your home at most.

In light of this announcement, NSW bared its plans to trial and introduce digital vaccine passports to their residents in October. Inoculation data from the Australian Immunization Register will be built into the Service NSW app, which people can download onto their phones.

As for Victoria, Premier Daniel Andrews made it clear that the state's economy will start relying on digital vaccine passports moving forward, reports ABC News Australia. This so-called "vaccinated economy" will only allow fully vaccinated people to go to recreational events, services, and facilities.

Digital Vaccine Passports: How Will Australia Handle It?

The logistical issues of digital vaccination proofs are well-documented at this point, with the biggest problem of it all being counterfeit vaccine passports. So how will Australian authorities handle their implementation?

First off, they'll need to make sure that people can only access their vaccination data and status via verified apps. Right now, it seems like the country is doing it right because all vaccinated Australians can access their COVID-19 digital certificate via their Express Plus Medicare app or MyGov.

Furthermore, people with Apple iPhones can now add their DOVID-19 digital certificates of vaccination to their Apple Wallets, like this:

Furthermore, those who need to present proof of vaccination for travelling abroad will soon have their data linked to their passport chips, including a QR code that's compatible with smartphones, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.

What About Unvaccinated Folks?

All levels of government in Australia who plan to use vaccine passports will have to consider whether specific vaccination exemptions are needed. That's because of the reality that people who were recently infected with COVID-19 can't get vaccinated for almost six months.

Right now, there's a very tight list of requirements to get an exemption in the country, which can only involve specific medical practitioners.

Australia's Delta Situation

With the rising cases of the Delta variant in other parts of the country, even Australia's so-called "paradises" from the virus are refusing to open their borders, reports ABC 8 News.

The country's west coast has remained mostly mask-free, with huge sporting crowds in Perth being a common occurrence.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by RJ Pierce