Emirates and Dubai Health Authority to create seamless digital verification of COVID-19 medical records for travelers

Dubai to become one of the world’s first cities to implement digital verification of passenger medical records relating to COVID-19 testing and vaccination

Dubai, UAE, 25 February 2021 – Emirates and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which aims to position Dubai as one of the world’s first cities to implement digital verification of traveler medical records related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates’ Chairman and Chief Executive, and His Excellency Awadh Al Ketbi, Director General of Dubai Health Authority, signed the MoU.

Sheikh Ahmed said: “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, enabling contactless document verification at Dubai Airport. This will tremendously improve the traveler experience, as well as the reliability, efficiency, and compliance with entry requirements imposed by destinations around the world.”

He added: “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.”

Under the MoU, Emirates and the DHA will work to link the IT systems of DHA-approved laboratories with Emirates’ reservations and check-in systems to 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 begin immediately to bring it to “live” implementation to benefit travelers in the coming months.