The Vaccine: The light at the end of the tunnel

IATA has called on governments to partner with the airline industry to devise plans to safely re-link people, business and economies when the time permits. According to IATA, some government testing and vaccination programmes are evolving and could form the foundation for global harmonisation.

At Selective Travel Management we have looked at the various differing programmes currently being rolled out across the globe and have listed below just a few of the main schemes being used. While these are current programmes they do differ per country and are susceptible to change regularly. We will provide regular updates across our platforms as we are constantly evaluating updates country by country and reviewing new Government guidelines.

Vaccinations

There is finally hope that the pandemic is coming to an end with vaccination programmes being rolled out all over the world at this very moment. Every country is managing their vaccination programmes differently with various types of priority groups; however, they all have the same goal - to vaccinate as many people as possible as soon as possible.

 The most common strategy being used by governments is to prioritise health care workers and the vulnerable populations. When these high priority groups have been vaccinated, the number of people at high risk will have been reduced and this will hopefully mean that borders will be able to reopen. IATA has also shown support for governments that propose to make vaccinated individuals immediately exempt from travel restrictions including quarantine. 

Testing

As a result of testing technologies constantly improving and vaccination programmes being rolled out globally, careful planning and preparation is required for the return of travel. While it may take some time for travel to resume at a high level, it is important that governments make airlines and airports aware of their plans for reopening borders, so they are well-prepared once travel is permitted. Government policy benchmarks and global standards need to be agreed to support the return of travel to ensure that Airlines are well-prepared.

Many governments are implementing mandatory testing within a 48 to 72-hour window prior to travel. They are also taking advantage of improved testing technologies by requiring PCR or Antigen testing due to the accuracy and speed of results. These measures allow governments to facilitate travel whilst reducing the risks associated with travel during the pandemic.

Airline Crew

It is recommended by ICAO-CART that crew members should be exempt from testing processes and restrictions that are designed for passengers; however, they must endure specific health management protocols that includes regular testing and strict guidelines that limit their interaction with other people during crew layovers. All these protocols allow airlines to manage the risks of COVID-19, maintain cargo operations and some passenger services.

Travel Pass

IATA are currently in the process of developing a Travel pass to safely restart travel, which will help governments, airlines and individual travellers manage vaccine and testing requirements and access to accurate information, secure identification and verified data. The WHO is also leading efforts to facilitate the implementation of a digital vaccination certificate whilst a global framework for testing is currently in process to help governments across the world mutually recognise a standard for testing data.

Moving Forward

Whilst these measures may take some time to come into effect, we are still here to support and guide you through the process. With a return to travel possible in the not-so-distant future, we are ready to manage your business travel when that light at the end of the tunnel finally comes. 

If you would like to have your Business Travel Simplified, speak with a member of our team on (028) 9038 9007 or email hello@selective-travel.co.uk