Win-win situation with jab passports

Re: Briones: Involve small business owners in vaccination rule decisions, Aug. 10

Karla Briones, a local business owner, expressed how vaccination passports would negatively affect her businesses. I was quite surprised by her reasoning.

In Ottawa, 84 per cent of residents 12 years of age and older have received one dose and 74 per cent have received two doses.

As one of the 74 per cent, I would welcome vaccination passports. I don't understand the 10-per-cent difference, but if we had passports that limited the freedoms of persons who are not fully vaccinated this would be an incentive for the 10 per cent to make the effort to receive their second vaccination, ensuring that they were fully protected and eligible to receive a passport.

The other approximately 15 per cent balance who are unvaccinated (not including those that have a medically approved condition, which should allow them to receive a passport stating their exclusion) might change their minds about getting the vaccination if their activities were curtailed.

I and everyone I have spoken with who have been vaccinated twice would be more apt to visit stores and restaurants if we were guaranteed that there were no unvaccinated individuals in these places. There would be very few persons who would consider it to be an inconvenience to show their passports.

I understand Briones' concerns that there may be those without passports who might get irritated and maybe even violent, but you are currently dealing with these people now anyway. Vaccination passports would be a win-win situation for everyone except vaccination deniers.

Linda Story, Ottawa