On Wednesday, Denmark’s Minister of Taxation, Morten Bodskov, unveiled the country’s plan to introduce a “digital coronavirus passport”. To achieve this vision, Denmark will collaborate with several businesses in the country. As per Bodskov’s plan, a website showing the status of the individual’s immunisation will be operational by the end of February. However, the passport itself would require three to four months to be developed.
Speaking at an event at the Danish Chamber of Commerce, Bodskov said, “It is absolutely crucial for us to be able to restart Danish society and that companies can get back on track. Many Danish companies are global companies.” The announcement was celebrated by Brian Mikkelsen, the head of the Danish Chamber of Commerce, who said, “This is light at the end of the tunnel for very many companies.”
The passport will indicate whether the individual has received the COVID-19 vaccine, thereafter allowing them to freely travel abroad. Moreover, it will also be used for individuals seeking to visit restaurants, conferences, and other recreational events. Bodskov said, “It will be the extra passport that you will be able to have on your mobile phone that documents that you have been vaccinated.”
Over the past few years, Denmark has been looking to digitise its systems by establishing online platforms that use electronic authentication and digital signatures. Against this backdrop, Lars Sandahl Sørensen, the Chief Executive Officer of the Confederation Danish Industry, said, “By using the digital head start we have, we can allow travel and participation in cultural life in Denmark. We will benefit from the corona passport for many years.”
Denmark is the first country to roll out a concrete plan for such a “passport”. Meanwhile, the European Commission is also assessing the benefits of issuing “vaccination certificates” to reopen the country’s tourism sector. However, as of now, the bloc is solely using these certificates for medical purposes.
Denmark has been facing a partial lockdown since mid-December, with several regions closed until February 28. Moreover, restaurants, cafes, and bars in the country have only been allowed to take takeaway orders. However, the country has begun its inoculation drive, with around 184,000 individuals out of the country’s 5.8 million population already having received the vaccine.
Furthermore, this announcement comes just one week after the Danish Diseases Authority reported a rise in the “more contagious” variant of the COVID-19 virus. It has reported 1,116 cases of the British variant, with the mutated virus accounting for 16.5% of the COVID-19 cases at the end of January. However, the country is witnessing a steady decline in its infection rate.
Denmark Seeks to Develop “Digital Corona Passport”
According to Danish Minister of Taxation Morten Bodskov, Copenhagen is looking to create a digital passport that will allow those who have received the COVID-19 inoculations to travel freely.
February 4, 2021
SOURCE: AFP