Bahrain becomes one of the first to launch a digital COVID vaccine passport

Dubai: Bahrain has launched a digital COVID vaccine passport. The country’s ‘BeAware’ app enables individuals to show their immunity status two weeks after receiving both doses of the jab, when antibodies have started developing.

A green ‘COVID-19 vaccinated’ shield is accompanied by an official certificate detailing the users’ name, date of birth, nationality and which vaccine they received.

Authorities can verify its validity by scanning a QR code linking to the national vaccine register.

To access the digital certificate, users must have received two doses of the vaccine, with 21 days between each. They then must wait for two weeks after the second dose for antibodies to start developing.

Other countries developing similar programmes include Denmark and Sweden, with both nations planning to launch the service in the coming weeks.

Last month, Bahrain opened free vaccine appointments to the entire nation, offering all citizens and residents a choice of jab. In November, Bahrain officially approved a COVID vaccine for frontline health workers and quickly rolled it out to all citizens and residents over the age of 18.

Efforts are underway at organizations like the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to make travel easier through the introduction of a ‘digital passport,’ which will contain pre-travel test or vaccination details to meet the requirements at their destination.

It will be introduced as a mobile app called the ‘Travel Pass’ and will allow passengers to share test and vaccination certificates with authorities and airlines to facilitate smoother processing at the airports.