Canada’s Audacia Bioscience is partnering with the Barbados-based international Blockchain company, OneLedger, to adopt the international health passport for Covid-19 tests for Canadians, including travelers.
This is good news for Barbados and other Caribbean countries such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago whose economies benefit heavily from tourism revenues.
Audacia Bioscience is a Windsor-based biomedical company specialising in the development of tests for Covid-19.
President and Chief Executive Officer of OneLedger Inc. George Connolly said Thursday : “Canada and the Caribbean have had historically long business and tourism relations. This partnership with Audacia is opportune and is designed for all citizens to travel and to be safe and healthy.”
Dr Phillip Olla, Chief Executive Officer of Audacia Biosience, said : ” This partnership provides a complete solution to safely connect Canada with Barbados, and the rest of the Caribbean.
“The partnership allows citizens to travel with peace of mind, knowing that we have securely documented their COVID-19 status (health declarations / PCR tests results / vaccinations details) to satisfy the entry requirements at their destination, whilst safeguarding their health data privacy.”
Tests and records such as Covid-19 vaccinations of Canadians would be secured on the Blockchain and made available to health and immigration officers via an App on travelers’ cell phones.
Audacia Bioscience and OneLedger say the health passport is a quick, easy to use and cost-effective solution.
President Connolly said the plan is to gain acceptance of the international health passport in Britain and the United States which are key traditional markets for the Caribbean’s tourism sectors.
“Health and Immigration officials at borders such as sea and airports will find the OneLedger health passport to be intuitive to deal with,” Connolly remarked.