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LISTEN: The Case Against Vaccine Passports

Travelers
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer
Travelers walk through the Salt Lake City International Airport. Airlines and others in the travel industry are throwing their support behind vaccine passports to boost pandemic-depressed travel.

Now that COVID-19 vaccination shots are becoming more widely available across the country, political and business leaders have been openly discussing instituting “vaccine passports,” a digital or hard-copy document that would serve as a way for people to prove they’ve been vaccinated and thus gain entry into places where groups gather, like airplanes, restaurants and sports and entertainment venues. New York state, for example, has already launched a voluntary program called “Excelsior Pass.”

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont says he has no plans to develop such a program here, though he supports the rights of businesses to require proof of vaccination prior to service.

Democratic State Rep. Robyn Porter of New Haven wrote the following on Facebook in opposition to the idea of vaccine passports:

“THIS is their backdoor way of mandating it without technically making it a mandate. They are going to try to tell you that you can’t fly, cruise, go to the movies, sports activities, arenas, plays, etc UNLESS you have a COVID VACCINE PASSPORT. Next, it will be you can’t come to work. NOT!!!”

Rep. Porter joined All Things Considered to talk more about why she so staunchly opposes vaccine passports. Hear the interview above.

John Henry Smith is Connecticut Public’s host of All Things Considered, its flagship afternoon news program. He's proud to be a part of the team that won a regional Emmy Award for The Vote: A Connecticut Conversation. In his 21st year as a professional broadcaster, he’s covered both news and sports.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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