Will Californians need a vaccine passport this summer? It depends on where you want to go
This week, both President Joe Biden and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administrations insisted they have no plans to implement a federal or state coronavirus vaccine passport program, although the concept remains popular in the private sector.
A vaccine passport is a physical or digital document that displays whether someone is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Critics say that such passports are a violation of privacy and an example of government overreach.
Supporters point out that federal immigration law already requires that immigrants provide proof of vaccination status for several diseases.
So far, New York state is the only government body to move forward with a vaccination passport program. It launched its “Excelsior Pass” program that provides “a free, fast and secure way to present digital proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results,” according to the state website.
Participation in the Excelsior Pass program is voluntary.
Newsom on Tuesday released guidance that sets a course for the economy to reopen in June, with some ongoing precautions like advising people to wear face coverings.
A memo from the Department of Public Health said large venues, like concert halls or stadiums, might be asked to have patrons show proof of testing or vaccination.
However, California Secretary of Health and Human Services Mark Ghaly said that the state is not currently planning on requiring a vaccine passport.
That same day, in Washington, D.C., White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, “The government is not now, nor will we be supporting a system that requires Americans to carry a credential.”
Some businesses and industries in the private sector have expressed enthusiasm for vaccine passports, which can reassure customers that they are protected from COVID-19.
The International Air Transport Association, a trade group representing the airline industry, is promoting a travel pass program that is currently being tested by airlines including Virgin Atlantic and Qantas.
In San Francisco, Oracle Park, home of the Giants baseball team, is requiring proof of either a negative COVID-19 test or vaccination in order to enter the stadium, as part of a requirement of the San Francisco Public Health Department. Likewise for Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden in New York.
NBA teams Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns also have unveiled a new seating scheme with special areas for vaccinated fans.
Many of the loudest critics of a government-run passport program have been conservative politicians.
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order prohibiting state agencies from creating vaccine passports for entry to a place or to receive a service. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis, also a Republican, issued an executive order blocking businesses from requiring customers to provide documentation that they’ve gotten a COVID-19 vaccine.
In California, Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, tweeted Tuesday that he intends to draft legislation prohibiting California from implementing vaccine passports.
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted that a vaccine passport is “something you’d expect in Communist China. Not in the United States of America.”
This story was originally published April 9, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Will Californians need a vaccine passport this summer? It depends on where you want to go."