Emirates yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Health Authority to create ‘seamless’ digital verification of COVID-19 medical records for travellers.
This MoU aims to position Dubai as one of the 1st cities in the world to implement digital verification of traveller medical records related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination.
The move comes amid a sharp rise in cases across the UAE since the new year, with the scheme expected to go live in the coming months.
Under the MoU, Emirates and DHA affirms a commitment to link the IT systems of DHA-approved laboratories with Emirates’ reservations and check-in systems. The airline says that this will ‘enable the efficient sharing, storing and verification of passenger health information related to COVID-19 infection, testing and vaccination, all in a secure and legally compliant manner.’
The project will commence immediately, with the aim of bringing it to ‘live’ implementation to benefit travellers in the coming months.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates, said in a statement:
Dubai is a leading global air transport hub, as well as one of the world’s most progressive cities in the area of e-government services. It’s a natural step to combine our capabilities to implement digital verification of COVID-19 medical records, which will also enable contactless document verification at Dubai Airport. This will tremendously improve the traveller experience, as well as the reliability, efficiency and compliance with entry requirements imposed by destinations around the world. Dubai will continue to lead the way in implementing effective and balanced approaches to contagion control, while facilitating travel and air transport which are crucial to communities and economies.
Emirates tackles COVID-19 on multiple fronts
The signing of MoU with Dubai Health Authority is the latest step in a long chain of actions Emirates has taken to combat the spread of COVID-19. The Dubai-based carrier was one of the 1st to partner with International Air Travel Association for its upcoming IATA travel pass.
Emirates has also rolled out a touch-less self check-in experience at Dubai International Airport. Its new touchless screens can be operated by scanning a QR code and selecting seats, all without a single touch.
The airline has also made significant progress in vaccinating its own staff, with almost 26,000 employees receiving both the jabs of COVID-19 vaccine. It also operated a fully vaccinated flight last week from Dubai to Los Angeles, in which every single employee of the frontline team ( 70 in total ) were fully vaccinated.
Featured image by Emirates
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