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'COVID-19 vaccine passports' prove to be the latest debate during pandemic

So-called “COVID-19 vaccine passports” that are being developed around the country are proving to be somewhat controversial.

News 12 Staff

Mar 31, 2021, 2:38 AM

Updated 1,390 days ago

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So-called “COVID-19 vaccine passports” that are being developed around the country are proving to be somewhat controversial.
Critics say that being forced to prove that one received the shot is a violation of their freedoms, while others fully support the effort.
Airlines are now on a hot streak, with at least 1 million passengers a day for about three straight weeks. This comes as vaccine efforts around the country ramp up.
“I feel more relaxed. I’m not nervous, I’m not anxious,” a passenger at Newark Liberty International Airport tells News 12.
She is taking a flight from New Jersey to Nigeria fully vaccinated. She had to fly back in December as well before getting the vaccine.
“I wasn’t vaccinated and I was very anxious, but this time I feel more relaxed and comfortable,” she says.
The passenger says that she fully supports a vaccine passport to travel. It is the latest point of contention during the pandemic.
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“I think it could improve things. I just feel like people are dead set one way,” says travel agent Derin Lisi.
Lisi works with Rope Drop Travel. She says that she is already seeing the division as cruise lines announce vaccines will be mandatory to travel.
“I have clients that are like, ‘We’re going to go regardless,’ and then I do have clients that are like, ‘Well if that’s the case, then I’ll just have to cancel,’” Lisi says.
A vaccine passport could impact sporting events, concerts and even employment. New York is already testing an app to show if one has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for the virus. It would be for places like the Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden.
No such app is currently needed at the Prudential Center. A spokesperson had no comment on the possibility.
The passport is also raising questions about privacy. Gov. Phil Murphy said that he is not sure yet if New Jersey would require such a passport.
“I’m open-minded. I think it probably needs to come from the feds, honestly. But I’m open-minded,” he said on News 12 New Jersey’s “Ask Gov. Murphy.”
The White House is punting to the private sector on the issue. Although the Biden administration admits it will have a role in how it develops.