“Vaccine passports” could become a reality for travelling abroad, says Qantas

International travellers could be required to carry a "vaccine passport" when visiting certain countries.

Airlines such as Qantas have been discussing how to ensure that their passengers have been vaccinated before travelling on their aircrafts. The company's chief executive Alan Joyce said that they have been discussing the prospect of "vaccine passports" with other airlines - an electronic certificate that would prove that passengers had been vaccinated against Covid-19. “We are looking at changing the terms and conditions to say for international travellers that we will ask people to have the vaccination before they get on the aircraft,” he told Australia’s Network Nine television. “What we are looking at is how you can have a vaccination passport, an electronic version of it, that certifies what the vaccine is, is it acceptable to the country you are traveling to. “But certainly for international visitors coming out and people leaving (Australia), we think that’s a necessity." Australia has had some of the strictest border controls in the world since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. The restrictions have allowed the country to take control of the outbreak and, in recent weeks, retain a level of normality while the rest of the globe grapples with second total lockdowns and rising Covid cases. Currently, only those travelling under special circumstances are permitted to enter or leave the country. Joyce said that enforcing a "vaccine passport" among travellers would require the support of the government. According to the country's Health Minister Greg Hunt, there has yet to be any decision made on the reopening of Australia's borders alongside a vaccine.