WHO Opposed to Vaccine Passports, Sandiaga Uno Says

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno responded to issues about the use of vaccine passports as one of the travel requirements abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sandiaga said that his side did not want to speculate about it as the World Health Organization or WHO was already opposed to the notion.

“The WHO has opposed the vaccine passports. So we don't want to speculate on the issue and let it be discussed by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Law and Human Rights Ministry, the Health Ministry, and the COVID-19 Task Force,” Sandiaga said at his office, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Monday, April 12, 2021.

Sandiaga said he had discussed the matter with Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. He opined that this passport-related policy must be studied from the principle of justice for society.

On the other hand, efforts to suppress the COVID-19 number must still be prioritized, he added. Sandiaga said the government needed a breakthrough to curb virus transmission and friendlier policies for the community to develop quality tourism.

A number of parties have suggested the use of such passports to create safe global travel during the pandemic. To date, several countries have shown their intention to introduce these travel requirements.

A number of countries have also issued vaccine passports or vaccine certificates for citizens who have received vaccines, such as Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden, while others are mulling over the policy. States that have opened their borders for vaccinated tourists include Seychelles, Georgia, and Romania. 

Read: Indonesia to Lobby United States for Additional Vaccines

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA | BISNIS