SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea mentioned on Thursday it’s going to problem so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports to immunized residents, becoming a member of different nations introducing such certificates to revive cross-border journey whereas protecting an infection dangers underneath management.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun mentioned a cell app, which can permit worldwide travellers to indicate digital proof of vaccination, will likely be formally launched this month.
“The introduction of a vaccine passport or ‘Inexperienced Move’ will solely permit those that have been vaccinated to expertise the restoration to their day by day lives,” Chung informed a authorities assembly, including the app makes use of blockchain know-how to stop counterfeit.
The adoption of vaccine passports has proved controversial in lots of international locations. Whereas China and some different international locations have already launched certificates and the European Union has bowed to strain from tourism-dependent southern international locations to take action, different international locations have confronted sturdy opposition to the idea.
South Korea on Thursday expanded its vaccine rollout, beginning vaccinations of most of the people aged 75 and older with the vaccine collectively developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. Greater than 86% of the three.5 million folks in that age group have mentioned they plan to get the shot.
Round 877,000 first doses of the vaccine had been administered as of Wednesday, the Korea Illness Management and Prevention Company (KDCA) mentioned.
The KDCA reported 551 new circumstances on Wednesday, bringing the nation’s whole infections to 103,639, with 1,735 deaths.
(Reporting by Sangmi Cha; Enhancing by Miyoung Kim and Jane Wardell)
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