One of President Biden’s executive orders aimed at curbing the pandemic asks government agencies to “assess the feasibility” of linking coronavirus vaccine certificates with other vaccination documents, and producing digital versions of them. The final product would then become a de facto "vaccine passport". Basically, a vaccine passport is documentation proving that you have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
Some versions will also allow people to show that they have tested negative for the virus, and therefore can more easily travel. The versions being worked on now by airlines, industry groups, nonprofits and technology companies will be something you can pull up on your mobile phone as an app.
In Israel a vaccine passport was launched 3 weeks ago, and allows those who have been inoculated to go to hotels and gyms and frequent eating places without having to wear masks. In other words it's introduced a whole aspect of freedom which Americans are now trying to grab prematurely. That is, opening up too soon without vaccinations completed at an adequate level. In a real sense what one beholds going on in most states now is stark insanity - given the dropping of mask mandates and how many Covid variants are on the loose and wreaking havoc. (In Minnesota alone infections have increased 56 % over last month.)
Denmark’s government said on Wednesday that in the next three to four months, it will roll out a digital passport that will allow citizens to show they have been vaccinated. More important, it will be the pass to freedom, liberating them from further restrictions and access to gyms, hotels, restaurants, air travel etc..
It isn’t just governments that are suggesting vaccine passports. In a few weeks, Etihad Airways and Emirates will start using a digital travel pass, developed by the International Air Transport Association, to help passengers manage their travel plans and provide airlines and governments documentation that they have been vaccinated or tested for Covid-19.
The challenge right now is creating a document or app that is accepted around the world, that protects privacy and is accessible to people regardless of their wealth or access to smartphones. One worry has also been that any such plan will discriminate against those who are either unable to get vaccinated, or have no wish to do so (such as 49% of Republican males in the U.S. according to a recent poll.)
The first is a reasonable concern, and it certainly would not be fair to bar citizens from open social access who are unable to get a vaccine because of supply issues in their areas. On the other hand it is not unfair to bar those who refuse to get vaccinated from having the passport and the greater liberty it allows. They rightly deserve to be restricted when they haven't really earned the right to be free. And no, freedom doesn't come without responsibility and that responsibility is shown by getting the vaccine when available.
In one WSJ piece ('Vaccine 'Passports' Raise Logistical, Ethical Concerns', Feb.27-28, p. A9) from several weeks ago, Melinda Mills - Director of the Leverhulme Center for Demographic Science at Oxford University points out:
"The thing underpinning all of this is, what are you going to use it for? Is it for international travel? Is it for getting a job? Is it for buying milk at the grocery?"
But the answers here ought to be straightforward, contingent on the degree of risk coupled to reward and plain common sense. For example, no such passport would be needed for going to the supermarket, where one is already required to mask up. As for international travel, that is already moving toward demanding vaccine passports - and this is fair. If you don't get the vaccine, sorry, no travel for you. Suck it up.
As for jobs, that will depend on what the particular business or corporation demands. I imagine most that remain with remote work from home will not require a passport, but others that insist on a return to the office, will. (A new OSHA order mandating masks at the workplace would provide a uniform law and standard, as per an executive order signed early in his term by Biden, looking into such a possibility)
Of course, there are some leaders - like Emmanuel Macron of France- who are determined to be difficult. As reported in the earlier WSJ piece, Macron "said that he doesn't want young people who won't get vaccinations to be discriminated against."
Well, that depends. If it is a case of them being less likely - right now say- to be given priority in getting the jabs, then I agree. So we don't bring the hammer of discrimination down until we are sure all regions and locales in the nation have sufficient supply - and there are no excuses on that front. If it is a case instead that the supply is available and they simply don't want the vaccine, then sorry, all bets are off. No bowling, no parties, no concerts, no bars, no sports arenas, no air travel. Nada.
One thing we do need to work out in any vaccine passports are the provisos to be applied to those who refuse vaccines, and what their reasons are. From my position, I see few solid reasons and even minority communities which are "vaccine-hesitant" ought to be convinced to get the jabs. Meanwhile, dopey Repubs and their base who refuse the vaccine- because of believing QAnon garbage- are out on the limb of closed access, to gyms, bars, beaches, sports stadiums, the works.
You want to refuse, fine, then you do without. "But my freedoms are being taken away! WAAAH!" Nope, not at all! After all, you damned well need a drivers license to operate a motor vehicle. You can't just jump in a car and tool around with no license! (Well, you can, but if caught you face stiff penalties). The same needs to apply to vaccine sluggards, slackers, scofflaws and others who believe freedom means zero responsibility.
Israel's roll out of its "green passports" - which allows those vaccinated to enter gyms, concerts, bars, and hotels- clearly shows the wonders of how subtle pressure can get a populace to cooperate. As of the WSJ piece's date, 50% of Israelis had received at least one dose. If a vaccine passport is the only way to get Americans out of their vaccine resistance then it is clear it needs to be used.
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by Amanda Marcotte | March 17, 2021 - 7:36am | permalink
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