'Immunity passports' are already here. But they come with warnings | CNN - Scott McLean and Florence Davey-Attlee:
December 6, 2020 - "With miles of barbed wire and electric fencing along its border and open government hostility to migrants, Hungary's borders aren't always the friendliest place for foreigners.... Amid the pandemic, Hungary has shut its doors to almost everyone, even its European neighbors. Unless, they've had Covid-19....
"The policy, which came into force in early September, opens the door to visitors who can provide evidence that they've recovered from Covid-19 -- proof of both a positive and negative test in the past six months. Iceland has plans for a similar policy beginning next week -- and it already gives citizens who have previously been infected permission to ignore the nationwide mask mandate. Experts call these types of policies a kind of 'immunity passport.'
"But does beating the virus actually give you immunity? The evidence so far suggests that for most people, it does. 'It's certainly theoretically possible that some people even who have antibodies may not be protected," Dr. Ania Wajnberg tells CNN outside her lab at Mount Sinai Hospital's Icahn School of Medicine in New York. 'But I think the majority of people that test positive for antibodies will be protected for some time.'
"Wajnberg is leading a massive study of more than 30,000 people who had mild to moderate cases of Covid-19. Her latest research published in October found that more than 90% of people have enough antibodies to kill the virus for many months after infection, perhaps longer.... 'This may be a reasonable way to begin to reopen society and allow for travel and business,' she says.
"Iceland's chief epidemiologist Thorolfur Gudnason has reached the same conclusion based on his country's own data, and studies from abroad.... The testing and quarantine exemption at the border begins December 10. The North Atlantic tourist magnet will accept documented proof of a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that is at least 14 days old, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test that measures antibody levels -- provided it's issued by an approved European lab. Thorolfur says Icelanders who have beat the virus are also exempt from the nationwide mask mandate with a letter from their doctor -- though he says most people wear them anyways because of social stigma.
"He's never heard of anyone intentionally getting infected, especially with a vaccine coming soon. 'That is possible. But on the other hand, I think it's also unfair to people who have had the infection. Why should they not be allowed to travel freely?' he said. 'I think it's a question of justice, basically. If you have the medical condition that you are not spreading or having the virus, you're not a risk to the environment, then you should be sort of recognized for that.' Iceland is also in talks with the other Nordic countries -- Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway -- so that people with that exemption can travel freely without restrictions....
"Thorolfur was unaware of Hungary's policy. The central European country has had virtually nothing to say about the success or failure of its unique exemption, what science it's based on, and how it weighed the pros and cons. The Hungarian government declined interview requests and sent only a statement describing the policy itself. Many of the experts approached by CNN were unaware it was in place. It hasn't been widely discussed even inside Hungary.
"The World Health Organization (WHO) advised against immunity passports in April.... On Thursday, the WHO confirmed it has not changed its position, but, Regional Advisor Dr. Siddhartha Sankar Datta said it was looking to help countries implement electronic vaccination certificates."
Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/hungary-iceland-covid-immunity-passport-scn/index.html
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