COLUMBUS, Ohio — The idea of a vaccine passport is gaining traction around the country. New York became the first state to introduce an app to provide proof of having the COVID-19 vaccine; however, the idea and technology are two things one Ohio lawmaker does not want to coming to his state.
What You Need To Know
- Rep. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield is planning to introduce legislation against COVID-19 vaccine passports
- People like Democrat Terrence Upchurch believe the system would help contain the virus
- Gov. Mike DeWine said he has no intention to mandate the vaccine
- New York became the first state to have the vaccine passport system
“This is one of many ways that we’ve seen governments overstep here in the past 12 months,” said Ohio Rep. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield.
Cutrona said he will soon introduce a bill to ban vaccine passports, proof that someone received the COVID-19 shot. Cutrona believes they are unnecessary.
“If the vaccine is doing what it’s supposed to do, it’s going to provide you with an immense amount of protection,” Cutrona said.
The Biden administration is reportedly working on a passport concept at the national level. It has already been implemented in New York with the state’s “Excelsior Pass.” New Yorkers may use a code on their cellphones or print out proof, like a boarding pass, to show they have been vaccinated to get into places like sports arenas, theaters, or even weddings and other large-scale events.
Yet Cleveland Democrat Terrence Upchurch, who sits on the Ohio House Health Committee, thinks vaccine passports should have a place in Ohio.
“If we found a mechanism to trace who has it, trace who’s been vaccinated, why not encourage that?” he said. “I mean, at the end of the day, we want to get rid of the virus and we want to transition back to life before the virus, and I think that this is just another step to do it.”
When asked if he thinks vaccine passports could jeopardize healthcare efficiency, Upchurch responded, “Absolutely not. In fact, I think it enhances healthcare efficiency.”
Upchurch also does not believe a vaccine passport would infringe on Ohioans’ personal freedoms to not share what’s going on in their personal lives.
“If it impacts other people, I don’t think it infringes on their civil liberties,” Upchurch said. “We know through scientific data, this things spreads. It spreads through droplets in the air. I mean, you can walk past someone and you can give it to someone, right.”
Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, said he has no plans to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine or require vaccine passports.
“We’ll have to see what the desires are. Businesses can make their own decisions and people can make their own decisions,” said DeWine.
Cutrona wants that solidified into Ohio law.
“We need to get into some normalcy in our lives and this is not normal,” he said. “This is abnormal to require this type of intervention.”
