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We’re well over a year into the pandemic, and it finally seems that a return to “regular” travel has never been closer. With various countries slowly peeling back their restrictions and starting to allow more foreign travel, we may just be able to jet off around the world for a holiday by the time summer comes.
Yet whilst different destinations have placed various hurdles in order to allow this to happen, such as testing, quarantine and vaccine passports, Florida has taken a stand and banned the use of vaccine passports in the state. Here’s a look at their decision, and why vaccine passports a controversial issue.

Florida Bans Vaccine Passports – Information For Travelers
Vaccine passports have long since been discussed as a solution to restarting global travel in the wake of the pandemic. Available either in digital form or as a physical document, their purpose is to provide the relevant authorities with up-to-date information about whether or not a person has been vaccinated or tested. As many countries begin to accept vaccinated travelers, they are seen as a way to speed up and smoothen the post-pandemic travel experiences.

Vaccine passports been produced by various different travel stakeholders, from governments to organizations and airlines, and the EU has recently announced its own vaccine passport will be available in time for summer. In the US, they have even begun to exist on a local level, with New York State becoming the first in the US to release their own version of a vaccine passport last week, which will allow venues to operate with increased capacities.

However, not every country – or every state – is supportive of the concept of a vaccine passport. Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis announced on Friday an executive order that banned the use of vaccine passports in the state. DeSantis made the announcement via a tweet, which read:
Today I issued an executive order prohibiting the use of so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports. The Legislature is working on making permanent these protections for Floridians and I look forward to signing them into law soon.

DeSantis’ main concern about the use of vaccine passports is that it would create a “two classes of citizens” – the vaccinated and the unvaccinated – with only one of the classes able to “take part in everyday life – such as attending a sporting event, patronizing a restaurant or going to a movie theater.”

The executive order states that no Florida government entity or official “shall be permitted to issue vaccine passports, vaccine passes, or other standardized documentation for the purpose of certifying an individual’s Covid-19 vaccination status to a third party, or otherwise publish or share and individual’s Covid-19 vaccination record or similar health information.”

Global Concerns About Vaccine Passports
Florida’s governor isn’t alone when it comes to having major concerns about the implementation of a vaccine passport. Sharing similar views with DeSantis, Dr Michael Ryan – Executive Director of Health Emergencies at WHO – also expressed ethical concerns about the use of vaccine passports for travel due to the fact that vaccines aren’t widely available in many countries in the world, which could lead to a two-tier society.

Other groups are also concerned about the safeguarding of private information once entered into the app, whilst some would prefer more testing to be done on the long-term efficacy of the vaccine before reopening travel based on who has or hasn’t been vaccinated.

Read more:
Travel Insurance That Covers Covid-19
10 Summer Vacation Ideas In The U.S. For 2021
These U.S. States Will Vaccinate Foreign Travelers For Covid-19
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Joe
Tuesday 6th of April 2021
Never in a million years did I ever think I would consider moving to Florida...yet here I am.
Christian
Monday 5th of April 2021
We should NOT have any passport to begin with. Passports didn’t exist before world war 1. This world is getting more and more fascist. It amazes me how little people have learned from their history.
Stephan
Monday 5th of April 2021
I don't understand the point of those who are against vaccination passes? What is their suggestion to get away from the restrictions and back to normality? Just because some refuse being vaccinated the entire world should live under restrictions forever?
If you don't like the vaccine, try the disease - you will find out which is better once you end up in an ICU. Or wear your masks forever and get tested for the rest of your lives, but let those who get their shot and take responsibity for society to release the world from the scourge of the pandemic enjoy life again
Joe
Tuesday 6th of April 2021
@Stephan, My suggestion for getting back to normal is living like we always have. Free to make choices. Leaving your front door has always come with a myriad of risks since the beginning of civilization. If outside world scares you too much, then don't leave your home. Ever. It's a win/win for everybody.
Ryan
Tuesday 6th of April 2021
@Stephan Your health is your responsibility. My health is my responsibility. Simple as that.
You want to take the experimental injection? Wear a mask? Avoid human contact? Knock yourself out. Anyone who wants to do otherwise is free to do so. You have no authority to dictate what others chose to do.
Liberty
Sunday 4th of April 2021
As for the vaccine itself, hundreds of millions of people around the globe are not going to get this injection (it is not most accurately described by the word "vaccine") It will be the hill that many die on so to speak.
As for those who insist on getting it, I recommend letting the trials finish first, waiting until after FDA approval, and getting at least the first long term study so that you'll know what you're putting in your body. Most of us will take our chances with our 99.98% survival rate.
Vanni Gibertini
Sunday 4th of April 2021
That may be relevant only for U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents. Since Border Control is a Federal issue in the USA, the Governor of Florida will not have much of a say in whether foreign tourists (that still make up a big chunk of the total in that State) will be allowed into the U.S. without a vaccination certificate.