China rolls out 'world first' Covid vaccine passports for cross-border travel
	Medical workers at Hanoi’s Thanh Nhan hospital receive Covid-19 vaccine
	Vietnam to receive over 5.6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses soon

Docter Calvin Q. Trinh, the first Vietnamese who had 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the US returned home at Tan Son Nhat airport, Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

Overseas Vietnamese doctor Calvin Q Trinh said that on the morning of March 10, he arrived at Tan Son Nhat airport from the US. According to this doctor, before returning home, he had had 2 vaccinations and his passport had a CDC vaccination report card attached.

However, because Vietnam does not have a separate mechanism for citizens with a "vaccine passport", this doctor still has to take quarantine according to current regulations. Therefore, right after his entry, he was isolated at a hotel in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.

"After finishing the first dose, I felt no pain but chills and mild fever on the same day of injection. The next day, the injection area and the arm started to sore. Reaction after the second dose is similar, but in some people, the second dose is more reactive than the first. The common side effect is chills, pain, and mild fever. These side effects can be treated with Tylenol or Paracetamol if they are too uncomfortable," said the doctor.

It is known that Calvin Q Trinh graduated with a master's degree in the US, majoring in sports medicine and postpartum rehabilitation. He got back to Vietnam this time for business.

Dr. Calvin Q Trinh said in the future, the US Government is considering issuing electronic vaccine passports. However, this idea has the obstacle of whether it creates any inequality and whether the receiving country has a vaccine passport database or not. Citizens can now use a regular "vaccine passport", including a CDC vaccination card, to check in the destination or country that accepts the person who has completed the vaccination without quarantine.

Docter Calvin Q. Trinh's vaccine passport. (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

What is a vaccine pass or passport?

A vaccination pass or passport is documentation proving that you have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Some versions will also allow people to show that they have tested negative for the virus, and therefore can more easily travel. The versions being worked on now by airlines, industry groups, nonprofits, and technology companies will be something you can pull up on your mobile phone as an app or part of your digital wallet, according to NYT.

The primary benefit will be to the tourism and the hospitality industries, which are both seen as being at the heart of the Covid-19 spread and are the worst hit by the pandemic. This includes international air travel, which suffered massively because of the outbreak. However, a major difficulty in implementation will be the lack of uniformity across jurisdictions in the requirement and issuance of proofs of vaccination.

According to the MOH, Vietnam will consider loosening preventive requirements for those who have vaccine passports, but it is unlikely that those people can enter straight into the country without any checkups. WHO also asks countries to continue ensuring social preventive measures that have been showing effect in the past time.

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