BY VIVIANA GARCIA, CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
Using an app on your phone to verify you’ve been poked with the scarce selection of a Covid-19 vaccine could drastically impact pre-covid festivities which raises ethical concerns for this new way of life.
A vaccine passport contrasts with a typical passport because it is meant to certify that you have received the appropriate immunization or even tested negative for the virus.
There is currently no official vaccine passport in the United States however, the federal government noted plans to construct guidelines for private companies to follow like those tech companies on the rise to create a secure digital immunity certification according to USA Today.
“The government is not now, nor will we be supporting a system that requires Americans to carry a credential,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, during an April 6, 2021 press conference.
Nonetheless, organizations like Walmart, airline companies, and New York City have been progressing in designing apps for indicating vaccine status. Even though these tech-based apps are in the early stages of development the social and political division has already begun in some regions.
As of recently, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order prohibiting the use of businesses requiring evidence of vaccination.
“It’s completely unacceptable for either the government or the private sector to impose upon you the requirement that you show proof of vaccine to just simply be able to participate in normal society,” he said during a press conference according to CNN.
This overall differentiates from what is seen in New York with the Excelsior pass which aims to be a boarding pass of proof against the virus to “Attend sporting events, arts performances and more!” according to the New York State website.
The differences in political beliefs have, however, shed light on a more unified idea about the inequity of vaccine distribution globally.
The United States has made growth in vaccinations and plans to have all adult Americans eligible for the vaccine on April 19, 2021, with 187 million vaccines administered according to the CDC Covid Data Tracker.
This may be a light of hope for many considering the severe consequences of the pandemic but statistics like these underline the disproportion of wealthy and low-income countries regarding dose distribution.
Covax, a plan to distribute vaccines to low-income countries run by the World Health Organization, plans to help Kenya with the first 20 percent of vaccinations for its 2023
30 percent expectations according to a New York Times article.
The virus left long-standing ramifications for individuals globally and the expansion of a passport could continue the snowball of lockdowns, mask mandates, and now appropriate credentials to re-enter our pre-pandemic lives.
