Abbott bars use of ‘vaccine passports’ for public spaces, services
Gov. Greg Abbot issued an executive order early Tuesday banning state agencies from requiring “vaccine passports” to enter public spaces or receive public services.
The passports, either digital or printed, would verify that a person has been fully immunized against COVID-19 and allow people to more freely travel and shop.
So far, they exist only in a limited capacity in New York. Still, the passports have emerged as the latest subject of political clashes over the virus, with GOP politicians decrying the passes as an infringement on individual rights.
“Government should not require
any Texan to show proof of vaccination and reveal private health information just to go about their daily lives,” Abbott said in a news release. “We will continue to vaccinate more Texans and protect public health — and we will do so without treading on Texans’ personal freedoms.”
As of Tuesday, nearly 8.2 million Texans had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The executive order applies to all public agencies, and any public or private organization that receive state funds. Nursing homes and long-term care facilities are exempt and can still require visitors to show proof of vaccination.
In New York, the “Excelsior Pass” is an app where residents can upload their proof of vaccination or a recent COVID-19 negative test result. The app then produces
a barcode that can be scanned at businesses and other venues.
“Think of it as a mobile airline boarding pass, but for proving you received a COVID-19 vaccination or negative test,” the state’s website advertises.
Abbott’s action follows that of Florida Gov. Ron Desantis, who last week also issued an executive order barring the practice. He said the passes would “reduce individual freedom and … harm patient privacy.”
Several GOP lawmakers in other states, like Arkansas and Pennsylvania, also have said they’re drafting
legislation to address the subject.
At the national level, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that the federal government would not back any efforts to implement a vaccine passport.
“The government is not now, nor will we be supporting a system that requires Americans to carry a credential,” she said at a briefing.
Proponents, meanwhile, have pointed out that proof of vaccination is already required to travel to several countries. The passes, they argue, could further slow the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that crowded events do not become superspreaders.
In Texas, some venues
have decided to require rapid COVID tests before large-scale events, like sports games, or block off seats for social distancing — but enforcement is not uniform.
The Texas Rangers held their home opener on Monday at Globe Life Field, with the stadium nearly filled to capacity. More than 38,000 people attended the game, the largest crowd of any U.S. event during the pandemic.
The Rangers required fans to wear masks when they weren’t eating or drinking, but that stipulation proved difficult to enforce, the Dallas Morning News reported.