You might be wondering, what is a “Vaccine Passport?” That’s a good question, as the term has been used to mean a variety of things. At a basic level, it means proof of vaccination against the COVID-19 virus (or, in some cases, proof of immunity either through vaccination or a recovered case of COVID-19). Countries could require this proof of vaccination or immunity for entrance. Domestically, private business owners might choose to require the same in order for patrons to enter their establishment. For example, someone might require that to attend a sports event, concert, or even college, you must provide proof of your vaccination (or potentially of your COVID immunity).
Should private businesses be allowed to make these requirements?
Two reputable Rhode Island physicians with national recognition do not think so. Dr. Michelle Cretella and Dr. Andrew Bostom contacted me for help to pass a bill that would ban vaccine passports in our state. Rep. David Place (R-Burrville) also shares our concerns about government overreach relative to COVID-19 and the negative effects it has had and continues to have on families, schools and the economy. He views vaccine passports as another instance of that, at our request he submitted House Bill 6302 to protect Rhode Island citizens. It would ensure people in our state do not have to present proof of vaccination in order to access businesses, government property, or colleges and universities.
Both Dr Cretella and Dr. Bostom have been actively working to share their concerns about vaccine passports in recent weeks.
Dr. Michelle Cretella is the Executive Director of the American College of Pediatricians. This was her testimony at the hearings H6302:
| “The bill to ban on vaccine passports is critical. Vaccine passports are far more insidious than just mandates because they would punish those who make the informed choice not to take one of these experimental vaccines. Vaccine Passports would render all those unwilling to submit to these experimental injections second class citizens. A digital vaccine passport system is also such a gross violation of our right to privacy that even the liberal ACLU opposes it. No one has a right to our private health records, yet a vaccine passport system would make this private information available to government, businesses and others such that our COVID vaccination status would be used to deny unvaccinated individuals their most fundamental civil rights.
“From a scientific pediatric perspective, children and young adults have a near zero risk of suffering serious illness let alone death from the COVID-19 virus. Children and asymptomatic adults are not drivers of this pandemic; regarding COVID-19 children generally do not infect adults. Therefore, without long term data on the impact of these experimental vaccines on the young, it is both unethical and unscientific to mandate mass vaccination of young adults and children. Mass vaccination of this age group could result in significantly greater harm to them compared to their near zero risk from the COVID-19 virus itself.” |
Dr. Andrew Bostom is a physician/epidemiologist affiliated with Brown University. His comments can also he heard on the Matt Allen program (WPRO). He said, “…a rational, ethical, true prevention model alternative to ‘vaccine passports’ would be simple notifications, as part of formal policies, by public agencies and businesses that persons with active symptomatic, febrile (feverish) respiratory illnesses stay home from work, and refrain from patronizing businesses.”
Please let your legislators know that you are in favor of House Bill 6302 and a BAN on vaccine passports. It only takes a few seconds to send a message through our Action Center.
For Faith and Family in Rhode Island,
Dave Aucion
Chairman, Board of Directors – Rhode Island
