Accepting vaccinated passengers should be global best practice: IATA

Geneva [Switzerland], May 20 : The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has applauded growing number of countries making data and evidence-driven decisions to open their borders to vaccinated travellers.
The latest data collected by IATA including its Timatic service shows that more than 20 countries have wholly or partially lifted restrictions for vaccinated travellers.
IATA said in cases where vaccination is not possible, access to quarantine-free travel should be provided through Covid-19 testing strategies based on widely available, free-of-charge tests.
Germany is among the latest countries to make quarantine alleviations for vaccinated travellers. Vaccinated travellers are no longer subject to quarantine measures (except from certain high-risk countries).
Germany has also removed quarantine requirements for travellers with a negative Covid-19 test result (except from certain high-risk countries).
In the United States, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) has noted that "with a 90 per cent effective vaccine, pre-travel testing, post-travel testing, and seven-day self-quarantine provide minimal additional benefit."
IATA's Director General Willie Walsh said a safe opening of borders to international travel is the goal. Scientific evidence and data should be the basis for the decision-making needed to achieve that.
"There is increasing scientific evidence that vaccination is not only protecting people but also dramatically reducing the risk of Covid-19 transmission. This is bringing us closer to a world where vaccination and testing enables the freedom to travel without quarantine," he said.
"Germany and at least 20 other countries have already taken an important step forward in re-opening their borders to vaccinated travelers. These are the best practice examples for others to quickly follow," he said.