Russia publishes draft proposal to require proof of immunity to COVID-19 from travellers

The Russian government on Friday submitted a draft proposal to the State Duma that would require the foreign travellers to produce the QR-codes as proof of immunity to the novel COVID-19 respiratory disease, a Russian and English-language online newspaper Meduza based in Latvia reported on Friday. The legislation comes amid the resurgence of the virus in Europe that recently turned the region into a global epicentre once again. Russia registered a caseload pushing its overall COVID-19 tally to  8,992,595 and 252,926 fatalities as of 12 November. If passed, the law will require travellers to either produce or proof of vaccination, evidence of a previous COVID-19 diagnosis or a certificate of medical exemption from vaccination.

All air and railway travellers will be required to show proof of vaccination until 1 February, 2022. People can also show a negative test to COVID-19 and the past diagnosis and recovery in order to enter public places or access certain forms of public transportation, and public venues. Without the records of immunity to COVID-19 people can still continue visiting the listed places and venues that would allow the negative PCR test results for entry. After the draft bill is passed as legislation, any business might prohibit the travellers from visiting upon their inability to produce the COVID-19 vaccine certificate. The rule, however, will be exempted from essential places such as pharmacies and grocery stores. The law will remain in effect for just a few months, and will officially expire on 1 June, 2022.

QR codes to be scanned for all passengers on trains, air travel 

The QR codes will also be scanned for all the passengers boarding Russian trains as well as for air travel, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova reportedly said, stressing the importance of getting the jabs. The vaccine certificates “will soon be as important to Russians as their personal identification,” the newspaper reported, citing Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister’s statement. Healthcare Minister Mikhail Murashko in an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV Channel had earlier made clear that Russia can bring into effect the immunity passports. Development of an ‘immunity passport’ specifying whether an individual had the coronavirus infection earlier or not can be done, he had said, adding “I do not actually see a problem in this.” “We have created a certain information resource and created it very quickly, actually in 7 days. A new program was made where each coronavirus infection case is visible,” he said.