Coronavirus: Biometric health passports developed by Israeli specialist tech firm Pangea

Proof of immunity from coronavirus will allow travellers to access airports and aircraft

Digital transformation experts from Pangea have developed a COVID-19 immunity passport that could allow holders access to airport terminals and aircraft.

The Israeli firm says the passports, which use biometric ID, will be at the heart of efforts to revive the airlines and tourism sectors amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The passports and platform will enable countries to reopen their airports to tourists while protecting their populations from a resurgence of the virus, claimed Pangea.

Uzy Rozenthal, Pangea executive vice president and general manager of the government division, said:

“The need to open up the economy is critical and existential, but it requires that each and every country adopt advanced solutions for reducing the danger of mass infection.

“For example, the 14-day isolation after a flight is not practical, both in the case of mass tourism involving tens of millions of people and in the case of businesspeople whose time is expensive.

“The immunity ‘passport’ we developed would enable the creation of sterile areas where there is no danger of infection and where thousands of people would feel safe to conduct any activity without fear.

“There is no doubt that our card and platform are one of the keys to the opening up of the skies and mass movement of millions of tourists and businesspeople from country to country, including safety during time spent in airport terminals and on planes.”

Pangea’s solution uses a smart card which serves as an immunity ‘passport’ allowing the holder to enter airport terminals and aircraft and eliminating the fear of spreading the virus to others.

The card includes a photograph of the holder, a digital signature, a chip, and a hologram and it can be securely linked to the originating country’s medical database and includes up to date encrypted data on the holder’s Covid-19 profile.

Pangea said the issuing process would be overseen by the health ministry of each country and in cooperation with local health providers and hospitals.

And it added the issuing of the card “would require the close cooperation of tourism ministries, airports, airlines, and insurance companies”.

“The issuing of this type of card will necessitate close coordination of the countries whose citizens will be traveling between them”, the firm added.

Pangea described its solution as flexible and capable of supporting the protocol of each country.

A “sophisticated search engine” will review each case and determine whether the card holder meets the necessary requirements for entry.

Pangea revealed it is in talks with several governments on the use of the smart card in their countries.

Pangea intends to expand the capabilities of the Covid-19 smart card and turn it into a full-scale medical passport that will include all the holder’s relevant medical information.

The firm said this will solve the problem of health providers and systems not being connected and a lack of data being available when people are hospitalised abroad.

“The medical ‘passport’ solution Pangea is planning to offer will solve this serious problem and enable more efficient and quality care with maximum security and privacy.

“In addition, this card can serve as a digital vaccination card that will replace the traditional vaccination card,” Pangea added.

Pangea was founded in 1995 to develop technologies and solutions for the digital transformation of government and business services around the world.

It specialises in digital identity, digital services, and secure digital solutions.