Humphrey CarterPalma22/01/2021 10:09
TW
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On the one hand, the proposed vaccine passport, which Spain is busy pushing for with its European Union colleagues, makes sense. It could remove the need for self isolating, expensive pre-travel PCR tests and lead to the opening of safe air corridors sooner rather than later. However, with European countries carrying out vaccination programmes at different speeds, millions of would be travellers could find themselves being discriminated against and not allowed to travel because they have not received the vaccine. There are other complications with the passport.

For example, I have a flight voucher with Iberia as a result of a cancelled overseas holiday last year. It is valid until the end of June and to get the full value out of my voucher, which is for two people, we will again have to travel outside of mainland Spain - to the Canaries or North Africa at least.

However, medical sources here in Palma told me yesterday that the next wave of vaccinations, which will be for those people aged over 90, is currently not expected to begin until March, so the chances of my age group getting the vaccine before the end of June are looking rather slim. So, should, during that time, the vaccine passport come into force, I could be left with a flight voucher I, and many others, will not be able to use. Not only will it cost me money but also the hotel and destination I was planning to visit.