The World Health Organization does not recommend countries issuing "immunity passports" for those who have recovered from Covid-19, but is investigating the prospects of using e-vaccination certificates, a WHO medical expert has said.
"We are looking very closely into the use of technology in this Covid-19 response, one of them how we can work with member states toward an e-vaccination certificate," he told a virtual briefing in Copenhagen.
The World Health Organization's regional director for Europe Dr Hans Kluge said last week was the third consecutive week in which the number of new infections reported in Europe had declined, but he warned the region still accounts for 40% of the new global cases and half of new global deaths.
He said almost half of the countries in the region continue to show an increasing trend. He said there has been a slight decrease in the number of cases in western Europe but the resurgence is moving eastwards with the hardest hit countries now in central and southern Europe.
Dr Kluge said figures suggest that in most countries fewer than one in ten people have been infected with the virus so the vast majority are still susceptible.
He said the promise of vaccines is game-changing and he welcomed the news of promising data from several vaccine trials. He said to reap the full rewards plans have to be in place to introduce the vaccine.
Dr Kluge said supply is expected to be limited in the early stages and all countries must decide who should be vaccinated first to maximise the impact of limited doses.
Speaking at a WHO briefing, Dr Kluge said the organisation recommends that health and social workers, people over 60 years of age, and residents and staff of long-term care facilities should be first to receive the vaccine.
He said community acceptance is crucial to the vaccination programme and studies show that up to half of people in some countries in the region are unsure about taking a vaccine.
Dr Kluge said this can be expected in the current circumstances when much is still unknown about the vaccines being developed.
He appealed to people not to be part of a misinformation campaign and urged everyone to seek reliable information from trustworthy sources saying "vaccines save lives, fear endangers them".
