Vaccine pass plan could open up travel within EU
BRUSSELS – The European Union’s executive body proposed Wednesday to issue certificates that would allow EU residents to travel freely across the 27-nation bloc by the summer as long as they have been vaccinated, tested negative for COVID-19 or recovered from the disease.
With summer looming and tourismreliant countries anxiously waiting for the return of visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic, the European Commission foresees the creation of certificates aimed at facilitating travel between EU member nations. The plan is set to be discussed during a summit of EU leaders next week,
“We all want the tourist season to start. We can’t afford to lose another season,” European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova told Czech public radio. “Tourism, and also culture and other sectors that are dependent on tourism, terribly suffer. We’re talking about tens of millions of jobs.”
The topic of vaccine certificates has been under discussion for weeks in the EU, where it proved to be divisive. The travel industry and southern European countries with tourism-dependent economies like Greece and Spain have pushed for the quick introduction of a program that would help eliminate quarantines and testing requirements for tourists. But France and several other EU members argued that it would be premature and discriminatory to introduce such passes because a large majority of EU citizens haven’t had access to vaccines so far.
To secure the participation of all member countries, the commission proposed delivering free “Digital Green Certificates” to EU residents who can prove they have been vaccinated against COVID-19, but also to those who have tested negative for the virus or can prove they recovered from it.
“Being vaccinated will not be a precondition to travel,” the European Commission said. “All EU citizens have a fundamental right to free movement in the EU, and this applies regardless of whether they are vaccinated or not. The Digital Green Certificate will make it easier to exercise that right, also through testing and recovery certificates.”
According to data compiled by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, less than 5% of European citizens have been fully vaccinated amid delays in the delivery and production of vaccines. The European Commission says it remains confident that it can achieve its goal of having 70% of the EU’S adult population vaccinated by the end of the summer.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the travel certificates “will help boost tourism and the economies that rely heavily on it.” Europe’s aviation industry urged EU governments to ensure the passes are operational in time for the peak of the summer travel season.
The commission proposed that all vaccines rubber-stamped by the European Medicines Agency should be automatically recognized, but also offered governments the possibility to include other vaccines like Russia’s Sputnik or China’s Sinovac, which haven’t received EU market authorization.
The commission guaranteed that “a very high level of data protection will be ensured” and said the certificates will be issued in digital format to be shown either on smartphones or paper.
Everywhere you turn, everyone is eager for life to return to “normal.”
In our personal lives, we’re craving face-to-face interactions, hosting friends and family or simply going to a museum, the zoo or a hockey game without feeling anxious. For Ohio’s 5 million workers, adjusting to the new “normal” also is highly anticipated.
The experts tell us that the fastest way out of the pandemic is by getting as many people as possible inoculated by one of the three federally authorized COVID-19 vaccines. Ohio is fortunate to be among the first states to open up the vaccine to everyone over the age of 16 by the end of March.
But vaccination is a personal decision. And the best way for Ohioans to choose what is best for them and their family members is to gather as much accurate information as possible and to consult with their physician.
Ohio employers can play a unique role in assisting their workers. Amid rampant distrust and inaccurate information, employers have the opportunity to step in.
It’s not too late for business leaders to begin communicating with their employees, especially about how to curb the spread of COVID-19 and access information about vaccines. Companies cannot overcommunicate at this point.
Over the past year, the role of employers as a source of trusted information has skyrocketed.
The 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer reports that businesses are more trusted than any institution, including the government, the media or non-government organizations.
The Ohio Business Roundtable created the Coalition to Stop the Spread because its members felt the business community needed to take a more active role in providing information and resources to break through the noise. With more than 180 members in all 88 counties across the state, the Coalition’s goal is to mobilize a grassroots effort by Ohioans to fight a pandemic that is crippling our economy and wreaking havoc on our families.
Many organizations, like Nationwide, have prioritized communication about the pandemic, using technology to gather thousands of employees in virtual meetings and answer their questions. These types of check-ins are critical for organizations of all sizes, giving employees access to leaders, who can also get a pulse on where things stand with their workforce.
When employers share what they know, when they know it, they provide an atmosphere of stability and trust with their workers. Now is the time to use those same strategies to educate employees about the vaccine and when to expect it to be available for those who choose it.
There is no “one size fits all” solution for employee communication. Every business is unique. But we all share one thing — our workers are looking to us as a resource that they trust. We owe it to our workforce, their families and our communities to do our part in sharing the facts.
The faster we can vaccinate and attain community immunity, the faster we will move past the pandemic. Our hope is that employers across the state will embrace their role as a trusted source of information when it comes to the pandemic and the vaccine.
When people are given the facts and the opportunity to make the best choice for their personal situation — we all win.
Kirt Walker is the CEO of Nationwide. Pat Tiberi is the CEO of the Ohio Business Roundtable.