Commentary: Vaccine passports are within reach but important details must be worked out first

SINGAPORE: It’s a Sunday. At England’s iconic Wembley stadium, the arena reverberates with the thunderous cheers of 60,000 football fans watching their teams battle for glory.

With faces painted in patriotic colours, crowds proudly hold up their nation’s flags in the air. A goal brings about high-fives, hugging and singing. The excitement is electrifying.

This scene isn’t a dream throwback to the good old days before the pandemic upended the world and ended mass gatherings. It was reality this June and July, when Euro 2020 fever swept across European stadiums.

From Baku in Azerbaijan to London in England, fans showed up ­– albeit in reduced numbers – for the continent’s football championship. Many travelled from abroad to soak in the atmosphere.

What made this possible during a pandemic? Three things: Vaccine roll-outs, COVID-19 test kits and technology. 

Besides their tickets, fans also came with a vaccine passport to prove they were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or had tested negative no more than 48 hours before.

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