Atter Pathology Services (APS), the engine behind the Dis-Chem national Covid-19 drive through testing sites, including the V&A Waterfront’s Battery Park site; is the first African pathology network to have signed up to International Air Transport Association (Iata)’s Travel Pass.
In a bid to receive international flights back to South Africa, APS is now in discussion with a variety of international airlines to encourage South Africa’s first trial of the pass.
Mike Atter, the co-founder of APS, said its network of accredited molecular science labs, combined with the partnership with PreLink CloudLIMS, the premier Lab Information System (LIS), offered airlines and passengers the most secure platform to undertake and receive Covid-19 results.
"All of our electronic results are fully encrypted at rest and in transit with added QR code verification.
"Not only is our network about restoring confidence to travel but it has the full functionality of being able to integrate/interface with all current pathology laboratories, both state and private.
"APS has been invited to join the Western Cape Government task team for the vaccine roll-out," Atter said.
Last month, Iata urged South Africa to start planning for the safe resumption of international air travel to help repair the impact Covid-19 had on its travel industry.
Iata’s Southern and East African head, Alexandru Stancu, reiterated the industry’s call on the government to replace quarantine with testing and for the country’s authorities to work with the industry to prepare for the safe restart of airline operations.
“Careful planning along with other promotional travel incentives will go a long way towards rebuilding the air travel and tourism industry,” Stancu said.
Iata currently foresees demand for long-haul air travel to and from South Africa returning to 2019 levels by 2024, although travel restrictions, weaker business travel, perceived health risks and the slow pace of vaccinations pose significant risks to the country’s travel and tourism industry’s restart.