Australia has cleared coronavirus vaccine passports for takeoff from next month in preparation for international jetsetting to again take flight.
Travel is not expected to start until vaccination coverage for people aged 16 and over reaches 80 per cent, which is likely months away.
The first international immunisation passports are set to be rolled out in October with all vaccines approved by Australia’s medicines regulator recognised for inbound travel.
Immunisation information could automatically be linked to Australian passports for people entering the country.
Those travelling overseas could use a QR code through an international app.
A spokesman for Stuart Robert, the cabinet minister in charge of digital and data policy, said further details would be released soon.
“The Morrison government continues to work towards vaccine assurance standards that will be one element of enabling vaccinated Australians to move and travel more freely,” he said on Wednesday.
In the US, people with proof of World Health Organisation-approved vaccination – including Australian-made AstraZeneca jabs – can self-monitor and get tested after entering the country.
People without approved vaccines must quarantine for a week.
All travellers arriving in Australia must complete two weeks’ quarantine regardless of vaccination status.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said home quarantine would be key for restarting international travel with premiers asked to provide timetables about introducing the measure.
A trial in South Australia has involved 50 people using geolocation and facial recognition technology to ensure they are at home for two weeks of isolation.
Random push notifications are sent three times a day with people given 15 minutes to confirm their location.
State governments are also forging ahead with plans to link vaccination status to check-in apps which would allow people to be allowed into venues.
Labor is calling for a nationally consistent approach with forgery protections and assurances about data accuracy.
Opposition health spokesman Mark Butler said there needed to be a sensible consistent regime in place for domestic and international passports.
“This is an urgent issue,” he said.
“We’re seeing states like Victoria and NSW fill a vacuum left by Scott Morrison, but I don’t think anyone wants to see eight different systems set up in our federation.”
Mr Morrison said vaccine certificates would be needed to enter pubs, cafes and sporting events as well as being crucial for travel.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is confident the Victorian border will be open in time for Christmas despite other states flagging hardline measures will continue.
“I have absolute confidence that there’ll be much more movement within Australia,” she told reporters in Sydney.
Australia has fully vaccinated almost 40 per cent of its over-16 population while more than 64 per cent have received a single dose.
Nine more deaths in NSW took the outbreak’s state toll to 148 with hospitalisations rising and another 1480 cases detected on Wednesday.
Victoria recorded 221 new cases, while there were 20 new infections in the ACT.
Lockdown in regional Victoria – except Shepparton in the state’s north – will end on Friday morning.
AAP
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