DHS secretary: 'We're taking a very close look at' vaccine passports

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: The Hill

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Friday that the U.S. is taking "a very close look" at vaccine passports for international travel.

Speaking on ABC's "Good Morning America," Mayorkas was asked about the possibility of vaccine passports for traveling into or out of the U.S.

"We're taking very close look at that," Mayorkas said.

"You know one of our principles that has guided us throughout this pandemic is the value of diversity, equity and inclusion, and making sure that any passport that we provide for vaccinations is accessible to all and that no one is disenfranchised," he said.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/dhs-secretary-were-taking-a-very-close-look-at-vaccine-passports/ar-AAKucE9?li=BBnb7Kz

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The right must be soiling themselves big time.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. People traveling into the US I'd consider reasonable, but not for people leaving

Of course, if you're leaving and planning to come back, that would count in the former case.

It's def. worth considering, and following the science.

[WA-03 Democrat]

2. Yes!

We followed directions and thankfully no one in our family caught COVID (knocking on wood). We got all our shots. I have a closet full of hand sanitizer, nitrate gloves, pulse ox meter, thermal temperature gun and cleaning wipes. We washed all our door knobs for 6 months. We washed our hands for over 30 seconds.

They dropped the masks to drive the vaccines up and it did so. We will hit herd immunity or good enough depending on our vaccine rate.

Create a passport and get more “back to normal” safely without any selfish assholes who won’t get vaccinated?

YES PLEASE!

[progree]

3. Good. This article assesses the state of vaccination "proof" and international travel

International travel opens to the vaccinated, but how do you prove you got the shot? NPR, 5/27/21

((according to travel adviser Kendra Thornton, owner of Royal Travel and Tours in Chicago's northern suburbs)) For now, travelers can self-report their vaccination status by showing their COVID-19 vaccination card with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention logo on it, but as the number of international travelers increase, can you imagine the airport lines as airline or Customs employees try to check each and every one? In addition, many countries, including the U.S., continue to require a recent negative COVID-19 test before allowing entry, which requires travelers to present even more paperwork.

Plus there is no single standard vaccination card, and they can be easily lost, damaged or even forged

But as of now, there is no federal database tracking who's been vaccinated, and the Biden administration says it will not be issuing what some have dubbed "vaccine passports," a digital certificate that would verify a person's vaccination status.

Some cities and states are considering them for entry into certain businesses or venues. New York already has the voluntary Excelsior Pass that can be shown upon entry to bars, restaurants, concerts and sporting events.

... public health experts point out that Americans have long been required to provide proof of vaccination in certain circumstances, such as to attend school, and for international travel.

More: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/05/27/npr-international-travel-opens-to-the-vaccinated-but-how-do-you-prove-you-got-the-sh

[Phoenix61]

4. Awesome! Other countries are going to require this

and I’d like to be able to travel to them. Plus, it’d be great to put all my vaccination stuff in one place. A really good one would send you a reminder when you needed to get an update like for tetanus etc.

[JCMach1]

19. Other countries already have pretty rigorous measured in place

A passport will actually be helpful

[Lonestarblue]

5. I'm all for vaccine passports.

I’m already a Global Entry member, and it is wonderful when returning to the US. I think it would be quite easy to add Covid vaccination to the Global Entry information for those who have it. For those without Global Entry, a similar form of digital proof would work.

Royal Caribbean announced this week that it had approval to offer cruises this summer. It will require that 95% of the passengers have proof of vaccination. I expect a lot of fake cards from the MAGATS. But all it will take is an outbreak of the virus on one of those cruises and cruising will once again be shut down. I don’t know how cruise lines protect themselves from those who refuse to be vaccinated or who use fake cards.

I’d like to see an official vaccination card like a driver’s license that isn’t so easily faked.

[DFW]

7. I'd love to get Global Entry

It sounds like it would save a lot of time. Unfortunately, it isn't practical in my situation. Some day, maybe....

[COL Mustard]

6. When I Was An Army Brat Kid, And Then When I Was In The Army

We had shot records. If you went overseas, your shot record had to be up to date with all of your immunizations. If it wasn't, or if you lost it, you had to start all over. You didn't lose it more than once. This isn't that hard.

[Snackshack]

8. Good

[DFW]

10. Germany is all over the place on this

I just flew down to Spain this morning for work. I fly back up to Germany tomorrow. The German government web sites and Lufthansa web sites gave all sorts of conflicting information on what was necessary to fly back to Germany. A negative PCR test less than 72 hours old was needed. No, a negative PCR test less than 48 hours old was needed. A proof of vaccination with the second shot over 14 days old was sufficient. No, it wasn't. You had to have the negative PCR test no matter what, and how old was not clear. No, you didn't, the vaccination was enough. No, it wasn't. Welcome to living in Europe. Whatever you ask a government official, the answer is either "no," or "I am not responsible for that."

And some people wonder why living with Europe's bureaucracy is enough to drive one crazy.

[Backseat Driver]

11. I'll be getting my Real ID soon. Never know when you might have to fly...

My adult kids may have applied for a regular Passport, IDK...they were talking about doing that...SMH

Change the layout of either or both to include a small logo that identifies a SARS-CoV2 vaccinated person; so much is digital now, that it can't be very difficult to make the changes on these documents. Recycle the plain old ones or have on hand if the identified individual isn't vaccinated! Presto...

[JCMach1]

20. Stamp with a QR code is all you need

[BumRushDaShow]

12. WHO has always had approved Immunization certificate for certain countries

that one would keep with the passport. I had one when I went to Egypt where there were certain immunizations required to travel there. The Travel Clinics had them and would add the requisite info about what vaccines were given (and date) and then would use some sort of certification stamp on the form.

[bahboo]

13. yep...I had to get a bunch of shots when I went to Peru....

[BumRushDaShow]

14. I know I had to get a yellow fever and typhoid ones

plus a polio booster and was given a script for malaria prophylaxis and I think the guy threw in a tetanus shot while he was at it. Still have my little "yellow booklet" (although all of that was done almost 30 years ago ).

[RicROC]

15. I'd be happy with...

a special stamp in my already existing passport.

[Blasphemer]

16. Excellent - I fully support this... nt

[Footay]

17. I'm also a travel advisor

What I am hearing is that the international air travel association (IATA) has developed an app that all airlines will use for travelers to upload proof of vaccination prior to travel. Right now, vaccinated or not doesn't matter, and individual airlines have developed or are using their own technology for negative testing forms, which is the requirement at this time for many international destinations.

[TomCADem]

18. I'd Be Surprised If He Use the Phrase "Vaccine Passport"

It is such a loaded, misleading phrase. Why not just use verifiable proof of vaccination? For the most part you do not really need it, unless you are traveling to an area where there is a high rate of infection. I am planning an international trip next year, and it would be a lot easier to have a way to show proof of vaccination for visa purposes, as well as returning.

[Aristus]

21. Don't know why the Trumpanzees are getting so upset over vaccine passports.

Like they're going to travel any further than from Hoot to Holler, and they can do that in the ole pick-up...