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Coronavirus

Vaccine for international travel?

(84 Posts)
GagaJo Thu 14-Jan-21 07:32:27

I think it is a great idea. Maybe a vaccine AND a covid test (covid test required now where I am AND for the UK I think). It would require everyone to have access to the vaccine of course.

Requiring everyone who wishes to go overseas to have been vaccinated against Covid-19 is a path towards discrimination, according to the head of the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Gloria Guevara, chief executive of the industry body, criticised the approach by Australian airline Qantas, whose boss, Alan Joyce, suggested passengers would need a jab before they can board one of its international services.

“We should never require the vaccination to get a job or to travel,” she said. “I totally disagree with the approach from Qantas. If you require the vaccination before travel, that takes us to discrimination.”

The chief executive of AirAsia, Tony Fernandes, supported Guevara, and added that global testing measures are the way to unlock travel.

However, according to a survey conducted by Qantas, 87 per cent of respondents said they would be happy to take the coronavirus vaccine if it was demanded for international travel, while 85 per cent thought it should be required for travel to “at least some countries”.

A 2020 report by the Ada Lovelace Institute, an independent research body, stated that the introduction of ‘vaccine passports’ could “pose extremely high risks in terms of social cohesion, discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability.”

uk.news.yahoo.com/travel-latest-news-mandatory-vaccine-081612096.html

GagaJo Thu 14-Jan-21 22:17:46

They have to be a specific type of test too. A PCR test. I don't know what that is, I think they take the test the same way but process it differently. It gives a more reliable result than the other type.

Callistemon Thu 14-Jan-21 22:17:59

Ps someone had borrowed his private jet.

GagaJo Thu 14-Jan-21 22:18:29

One of my students had to have one. The result came through an HOUR before his flight. He had to pay to print the results off at the airport.

Maggiemaybe Thu 14-Jan-21 22:42:47

Pantglas2

You asked ‘who’s going to fly the planes...’ and I simply pointed out that it would be exactly the same people that are flying them now...... ?‍♀️

I was asking who would fly the planes if only people who had been vaccinated were allowed to get on them. But hey, who cares?

Callistemon Thu 14-Jan-21 22:49:17

Gloria Guevara, chief executive of the industry body, criticised the approach by Australian airline Qantas, whose boss, Alan Joyce, suggested passengers would need a jab before they can board one of its international services.

Qantas moved its hub to Dubai a few years ago and Dubai has been strict about passengers having negative Covid certificates, as I mentioned above.
Added to which, of course, Qantas is the flag carrying Australian airline and Australia has been very strict about quarantine, border closures etc.

growstuff Fri 15-Jan-21 15:35:31

France has now said that it won't accept the "quickie" lateral flow test as evidence of a negative Covid result, which is fair enough. as it's been shown not to be very effective.

The PCR test takes time to produce results.

Where does that leave hauliers travelling from the UK to France? Are they going to be stranded at a port while they wait for results?

MissAdventure Fri 15-Jan-21 16:03:30

I thought I read (somewhere) that hauliers will be exempt.

growstuff Fri 15-Jan-21 16:19:32

MissAdventure

I thought I read (somewhere) that hauliers will be exempt.

No idea. I did a little search before I posted, but I couldn't find confirmation. It's the LFT not the PCR test France has a problem with.

EllanVannin Fri 15-Jan-21 16:19:46

Apparently there are very low levels on Covid tests which were carried out on hauliers so there are no plans for tougher checks on visitors to France being extended to lorry drivers.

growstuff Fri 15-Jan-21 16:21:04

The MHRA has just refused to authorise the LFT's routine use as the government had intended, in schools.

growstuff Fri 15-Jan-21 16:21:44

EllanVannin

Apparently there are very low levels on Covid tests which were carried out on hauliers so there are no plans for tougher checks on visitors to France being extended to lorry drivers.

I'm not disbelieveing you, but where did you read it?

growstuff Fri 15-Jan-21 16:26:30

Aha! Found something.

www.kmfm.co.uk/news/politics/covid-19-border-tests-detect-very-low-levels-among-hauliers/

Who's paying for hauliers to have these tests?

EllanVannin Fri 15-Jan-21 17:17:11

The haulier companies could be billed for their tests.

Pantglas2 Fri 15-Jan-21 17:20:35

Just announced that all entry into Britain will need a negative test.

MissAdventure Fri 15-Jan-21 18:08:44

About bleeding time!

Esspee Fri 15-Jan-21 18:29:44

Only a year too late!

GagaJo Fri 15-Jan-21 18:36:39

growstuff

Aha! Found something.

www.kmfm.co.uk/news/politics/covid-19-border-tests-detect-very-low-levels-among-hauliers/

Who's paying for hauliers to have these tests?

Surely it would be the company they work for.

MissAdventure Fri 15-Jan-21 18:37:17

I've just watched a science bloke on tv say exactly that.
Too late.

growstuff Fri 15-Jan-21 19:04:08

GagaJo

growstuff

Aha! Found something.

www.kmfm.co.uk/news/politics/covid-19-border-tests-detect-very-low-levels-among-hauliers/

Who's paying for hauliers to have these tests?

Surely it would be the company they work for.

Many of them are self-employed and work to quite tight margins. Time is money to them and they're already experiencing delays, so having a test will be yet another delay.

growstuff Fri 15-Jan-21 19:04:53

EllanVannin

The haulier companies could be billed for their tests.

Which will inevitably push up prices.

GagaJo Fri 15-Jan-21 21:17:08

Guardian article on vaccine passports.

www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jan/15/covid-vaccine-passports-what-are-they-and-do-they-pose-a-danger-to-privacy

Waltz Sat 16-Jan-21 09:59:45

At the moment I have 3 family members all with Covid 1 of which is in the hospital plus 3 who have been told to isolate including my 8 month old grandson, the way I see it is if you are thinking of going abroad you should firstly go and take a look at your local hospital.You may not have Covid but you could still bring it back

Frankie51 Sat 16-Jan-21 10:06:54

I have often been on holiday to countries outside Europe, eg India. Egypt, which require you to have certain vaccines before you go eg yellow fever. Dengue fever, encephalitis etc. My GP surgery has a travel clinic, where you can go and get them. Usually about £30. No hassle. Can't see why people would object to a similar scheme, no one complains about their human rights in those circumstances. It's about protecting your and others health.

missdeke Sat 16-Jan-21 10:15:27

The first time I went abroad in August 1966 there was a smallpox outbreak in the UK, and Spain was not allowing International travellers into the country without a valid smallpox vaccination certificate. So it has been done before.

Helenlouise3 Sat 16-Jan-21 10:22:53

At the moment, the price of a covid test for travel is £120 pp. That's a big hike for a family on top of the cost of the original holiday, especially if you have to have another one in order to return to the UK