CAPE TOWN, March 11 (ANA) – China launched the first digital vaccine passport for its citizens on Monday to make global travel easier in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a report by China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Tuesday, the digital version of a health certificate can be accessed on China’s multipurpose messaging social media platform, WeChat, and will provide test results for nucleic acid and serum IgM antibody tests, as well as vaccination records.

The health certificate contains an encrypted QR code that can be verified and read with a public key provided by China.

At present, as long as uploaded nucleic acid and serum IgM antibody tests are negative, a green health code will be displayed after the results are uploaded.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters last weekend that the passport would be available both digitally and in paper formats.

Using WeChat, travellers would need to scan an encrypted QR code which leads them to a programme that allows them to specify whether they are leaving or entering the country. This process will generate the health certificate, which will contain all the relevant details needed for travel.

“We will take care to fully protect personal privacy and contribute to the mutual recognition of nucleic acid test results and vaccination records, thus facilitating safe and orderly flow of personnel,” said Wang.

Meanwhile, there have been concerns raised by the World Health Organization (WHO) over the use of a vaccine passport as a requirement for travel due to vaccinations not being readily available to everyone across the globe.

According to the Straits Times, various other countries, including Denmark and Sweden, are creating their own health passports, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has been testing its Covid-19 travel app, which it plans to launch on March 15.