This project aims to bring travel and world trade back to the same level as they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this The Commons Project proposes a new way to check the health status of travelers as they move to other countries and cross borders.
The Commons Project, a non-profit initiative dedicated to the development of digital platforms in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, is developing CommonPass, a digital platform for people to access their lab results and vaccination records, and consent to that information being used when validating their COVID status when traveling.
The CommonPass seeks to allow people who travel, can access their lab results, immunization records and also need to consent to this information being used to validate that they are eligible to travel by being COVID-19-free. This without disclosing other important medical information that may compromise the user's privacy. In some countries there are applications that provide access to health data such as laboratory tests or vaccination, so integration can be easier.
CommonPass is not a conventional application or physical document, but tries to group travelers' health records into a single format to standardize data collections for safe, COVID-19-free travel. However, it also requires the acceptance of governments, because, for example, if a citizen of the European Union travels to a country on another continent, the authorities of that country must rely on the records offered by the traveler's country of origin.
The CommonPass initiative has as its main feature the security and privacy of the user, so the treatment of data must be done delicately. These are the main regulations highlighted in the CommonPass A health data trust framework to support safe border reopening:
- Agency: Data is stored or shared only with explicit and informed consent.
- Data Minimization: Only the minimum amount of personal data is used for any transaction.
- Federation: Personally, identifiable health information is stored only at the source or on the user’s phone
- Usage: Data are only stored to the extent necessary and never used for any other purpose.
In addition, another objective of this joint initiative with the World Economic Forum (EMF) is accessibility and interoperability. In July, FEM convened more than 350 public and private sector leaders from more than 50 countries to discuss challenges in reopening borders and potential CommonPass launches.
The initiative seeks the global coalition of various sectors, such as health agencies and agencies, border agencies, laboratories and travel companies. This through two main groups: governments coordinating borders, airports, health services and the tourism industry in their countries; and the public-private sectors, made up of the travel and laboratory industry.
“The framework will assess whether the individual’s lab test results or vaccination records come from a trusted source, and satisfy the health screening requirements of the country they want to enter. The framework delivers a simple yes/no answer as to whether the individual meets the current entry criteria, but the underlying health information stays in the individual’s control. The framework is being designed such that it can be accessed directly through other apps and services,” they explain on the CommonPass site.
It is currently under development and has begun its first pilot tests in the United States. Roger Dow, executive director of the U.S. Travel Association, reported on the arrival of the first international flight to use CommonPass.
THE COMMONS PROJECT
https://thecommonsproject.org/commonpass
CONTACT NEWS
https://contactonews.co/noticias/9069-eeuu-estrena-sistema-salud-digital-commonpass
