747-800i

It's not going to happen ever. The administration already said there is never going to be a federal vax passport or a federal database.

747FC

Perhaps, but if the rest of the world -- or at least the EU -- requires a nationally-issued vax passport, not likely that the US will be so resolute.

catocony

The rest of the world doesn't vote in US elections, and since there's no way that all state governments will agree to a Federal database, it isn't going to happen.

Vaccination passport is as counterproductive a name as defund the police. It just turns people off so much. If you said nationally-issued proof of vaccination, like the CDC cards, then people might be more amenable. Just like "reform the police" would have been way more effective than "defund", which sounds like doing away with the police completely

Passports are police-y type documents that are controlled, are a privilege, that can lead to police questioning, trips sent to secondary, getting revoked, etc. Something that you need to cross a border and if don't have it you might get thrown in a prison and never see home again. Proof of vaccination to get on a plane? That just sounds like a boarding pass or ticket receipt. Pretty innocent.

LETTERBOY

Yes, it IS likely they will be so resolute. Both sides of the political spectrum have concerns about vaccine passports (albeit it their concerns are different). And those concerns will have a FAR higher priority than anything the rest of the world will want. For example, do you really think Ron DeSantis in Florida will give a damn what the EU thinks about this? And more importantly, do his voters care? No, they don't.

There will be some states/localities/companies that will try to have vaccine passports, but mostly due to the above mentioned concerns (and also due to the fact that will be a gazillion different systems people use), they will NEVER see widespread acceptance or use in the US.

exp

There may be some Floridians who would want to travel to the EU.

Adelphos

Given the relative caution the EU has acted with towards the AstraZeneca vaccine and the comparative vaccination rates, it seems difficult to imagine the EU will be very strict with the kind of documentation it will require for a vaccine passport. Unfortunately I think many countries will just prioritize vaccinating their own populations before opening travel more widely rather than relying on vaccination proof of visitors.

In the US, some states are providing pretty good verification. I just downloaded my New York State “Excelsior Pass” which provides certification of vaccination status and currently lasts for 180 days (until late September for me). The pass has a QR code and can be printed, saved to Apple wallet, accessed in its own app, screenshotted, etc. I would imagine other states may accept this if NYS can sign the agreements. Maybe other countries will as well.

EDIT - theoretically, I guess people can get go buy these yellow booklets and either return to their vaccination site or get a primary care doctor to view medical records and attest to vaccination status (the issue is that so many millions don’t have a “primary care doctor” and vaccine sites may not want to bother with the administrative headache of dealing with this)

747-800i

Correct. The level of control we've all given over to government has been horrific enough this year. We don't need Soviet style papers checks everywhere. Enough is enough.

LETTERBOY

Yes, but there won't be enough of them to sway the politicians. And even some of those people will share the concerns about vaccine passports.

exp

What will they do if the EU says they have to show proof of vaccination before they can enter any EU country?

Or if their airline at MIA said they need to show such proof before getting a boarding pass?


Just saw a video this morning from a former AA exec. Said that not only will vaccine certificates be likely required, like the old yellow books, they are likely to be required for a few years, even if the EU and the US get high percentage of their populations immunized.

That is, it likely won't be some temporary measure. Unless the virus and variants are completely eradicated, once such a requirement goes in, it won't be removed right away.

catocony

If the EU or any other travel block demands a Federal, electronic vaccination/health records requirement, then US citizens won't be traveling to those blocks, at least not on US passports. It's really that simple, since only a small percentage of Americans travel internationally in a given year.

Since COVID won't be completely eradicated, that's not a realistic baseline that any country/travel zone is going to mandate as a proof-less travel requirement.

exp

If they accepted yellow books in the past, why wouldn't they do so now?

Also what have the CDC cards been used for?

They're not new right?

catocony

I think most people would be fine laminating their CDC cards (those that got them), and if that's all there is to it then maybe someone can mandate something. As for yellow books, most people have never seen one, and I don't know if you can get a COVID vax signoff retroactively. If you can, then it would probably be only as useful as showing a CDC card, since that's all that most people have.

All of the chatter about vaccine passports revolves around apps on phones, electronic certifications, etc. That won't work, unless it's nothing more than taking a photo of your CDC card.

exp

Here's a rundown of some of the apps currently in development or being tested.

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/digit...lth-passports/

Seems like most of them you upload or scan your CDC card and negative test results.

But looks like CLEAR has some partnerships with labs and Walmart which allows you to access your test results and vaccination records into the CLEAR Health Pass app as long as it's at a CLEAR partner.

Of course you have to also have a CLEAR subscription, which is $$.

catocony

In a few months, people aren't going to be willing to take COVID tests, since most will be vaccinated. Anyone thinking that testing is going to be widely accepted AFTER vaccination is really fooling themselves. It's going to be hard enough to keep people wearing masks for a few more months.

SFO777

Regardless of science or public sentiment, If anyone wants to fly an airline or visit a country that requires a negative PCR test, they will get a PCR test... or they will be denied boarding, vaccine or not.