WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Tickets will go on sale later this month for the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. It’ll be the first known event like it here to require proof of a vaccine. You can also bring a negative COVID-19 test that’s less than 3 days old. Should the idea of proving you’ve been vaccinated come to the United States?
Israel has commercials promoting their 'green pass.' It's digital proof that you've been vaccinated, allowing the inoculated to do some activities like it's 2019.
Proving you’re immune is an old idea, infectious disease specialist Dr. Klepper de Almeida points out.
"A vaccine passport is not a new concept. It’s been used for other diseases. It’s been used for thousands of years in the times of the plague etc.," Dr. de Almeida says.
But should it be something required here in the United States?
"States that have rolled out the vaccine better, that have controlled the epidemic better, will be able to resume economic activity faster than states that are still dealing with the problem," Dr. de Almeida says.
Kenneth Goodman is a bioethicist from the University of Miami.
He says only when the vaccine distribution is equitable amongst race and wealth, can a vaccine credential type system be rolled out.
"The standard uncontroversial values that we try to teach our students about transparency and veracity and accountably seem not to (have) been appropriately appreciated by decision-makers in the State of Florida, which means if we move forward with credentials, without moving forward fairly with vaccines, we’re just going to make it worse," Goodman says.
Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg says being equitable is important. And like anything digitized, security needs to be tight.
"As long as there’s not a divide between the haves and have nots, as long as it’s no cost to obtain such a passport, as long as everyone has access to it and your information is protected. If you can satisfy those concerns, then I think we should do it," Aronberg says.
Aronberg also warned about people posting pictures online with their vaccine cards. The card has personal information on it, like your birthday.