Travel passports make perfect sense

At the risk of being labelled “sheep” or agents of a conspiracy to take away the basic human rights and freedoms of people, we wonder at the vociferous objections to the idea of a “vaccine passport”.

This document will increasingly be used around the world to distinguish between those who have been fully vaccinated against Covid and those who have not. That, we would suggest, is an entirely understandable public health requirement.

Were we not required, in the past, to provide proof of other vaccinations – especially against potentially debilitating or deadly childhood diseases – so we could attend school safely? Do we not require to have proof of vaccinations against Yellow Fever if we wish to travel to countries where that disease is prevalent?

The scientific rationale behind passports is linked to that behind having vaccinations in the first place: the more people who get jabbed, the greater the chances are of lowering the infection rate and, more importantly, the rate of severe disease.

That means, obviously, less burden on hospitals and fewer deaths.

All countries around the world – regardless of their dominant political ideology – want that. And they do not want unvaccinated people crossing their borders without instituting strict controls on such people through measures including quarantine.

The reality is that, if you want to travel – and countries are starting to slowly open up – you will require confirmation of your vaccine status.

This, we would argue, is simple common sense.

But, quite contrary to what those who regard themselves as defenders of freedom are saying, any such “vaccine passport” is in no way similar to population control measures introduced by totalitarian governments in the past.

To compare it, as some have, to the yellow stars used by the Nazis to identify Jews, is simply dreadful. Change is coming, like it or not.