Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon recently announced that he had signed a directive banning the use of vaccine passports in his state, telling residents that vaccines are a personal choice and are based upon personal circumstances. So far, over 180,000 people, approximately one-third of the state’s population, have been vaccinated against COVID-19. As red states distribute vaccines and ditch their COVID-19-related restrictions, blue states continue to push pandemic goalposts with vaccine passports, continued mask mandates, and prolonged lockdowns.
“Vaccine passport programs have the potential to politicize a decision that should not be politicized. They would divide our citizens at a time when unity in fighting the virus is essential, and harm those who are medically unable to receive the vaccine. While I strongly encourage Wyomingites over the age of 16 to get vaccinated against COVID-19, it is a personal choice based upon personal circumstances,” Gov. Gordon said.
The legislation directs Wyoming cities, towns, counties, and private businesses to provide full access to places and services regardless of one’s own vaccine status. It urges local businesses and private businesses to align their policies and practices with the state and pledges to protect state citizens against “unconstitutional and medically irresponsible COVID-19 vaccine mandates.”
While the Biden Administration has said that they would not require federal vaccine passports, some states are suggesting required proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to reopen at full capacity. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio brought up the possibility of requiring vaccine passports, such as the Excelsior Pass, for indoor events. “I think some institutions are going to choose to do that. I think it will make sense in some places,” he said.
Wyoming has joined Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Texas, and South Dakota in issuing executive orders prohibiting vaccine passports and vaccine-related requirements.
While a “vaccine bill of rights” has been introduced to the Wyoming House, it has not yet been considered. Alabama, Minnesota, and South Carolina have already passed their own version of a COVID-19-related “bill of rights,” which would prohibit mandatory vaccinations or businesses from requiring people to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
GOP lawmakers in Iowa and Indiana have also passed legislation to block vaccine passports.
A Competitive Enterprise Institute study even deemed vaccine passports useless as the country gets closer to reaching herd immunity. They analyzed the number of people vaccinated, the pace of vaccinations, the vaccine dose supplies, and the number of people with natural immunity, in the U.S to suggest that they could soon resume normal activities without “continued, general precautions.”
Talks of government-administered identity cards and medical records have raised concerns about individual privacy and whether they are right for the circumstances. More commonsense red states are lifting pandemic-related emergency orders, keeping hospitalization and case rates low, and banning vaccine passports as they are no longer needed.
The radical left believes vaccine passports are okay, but voter identification is racist.
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