This happened even earlier than most people expected. We were warned at the beginning of the month that New York State was in the process of introducing a system of immunity passports for people who want to reenter the most “normal” aspects of society. The state had clearly already made a decision and people were working on the project as the “Excelsior Pass” is already in production and will be needed for many social activities from April 2nd. Major New York City venues are already taking advantage of it, but most other “arts, entertainment, and events” venues will need the pass shortly thereafter. People who have been vaccinated or have had a negative COVID test in the last few days can get the pass, which can be printed on paper or displayed on your phone via an app. (New York Post)
The country’s very first ‘vaccine passport’ is coming to the Big Apple.
The program, dubbed the ‘Excelsior Pass,’ is an app that allows New Yorkers to prove their vaccination status or recent history of a negative COVID-19 test to access events and businesses, Governor Cuomo announced in a press release Friday.
“As with a boarding pass for a mobile airline, individuals can print their pass or save it on their smartphone using the Excelsior Pass Wallet app,” the press release explains.
If you choose to install the app on your phone, a key code will be displayed that will be recognized by a scanner at the entrance of the event you want to attend or the business you want to visit for shopping or other purposes. Assuming you have a valid code, a green check mark will appear in response. If the system does not conform to you, a red “X” will be displayed and you will be denied access.
The first thing to note here is that New York State has vaccinated about half of its eligible citizens so far. That means that the other half of the state is now banned from nearly all non-essential activities unless they can find a place to be tested and “verified” every few days. And if you think this only applies to things like basketball games, guess it again. The state has specifically stated wedding receptions as events that require a scanner at the door and an immunity passport to access. As of this morning, CNN says that 14.7 percent of adults in the United States are currently fully vaccinated, so the inequality is much greater if such a plan comes out nationally.
While not part of the initial rollout, major retail chains and even supermarkets are reportedly investigating how this system could work in their stores. You can’t be barred from shopping for food and other supplies, but some stores are considering setting up separate entrances for those with and without passports or limiting some shopping hours for just those who muster.
I have gone through the Post’s “explanation” of how the system works, and I see no exceptions on the list for people with co-morbidities or other underlying conditions that could lead their doctors to recommend that they avoid the vaccine. So if you choose not to get vaccinated or if you are medically disqualified from receiving it, at least in New York, you will officially become a second-class citizen on April 2. Without the pass, you are part of a new class of outcasts who cannot mingle with the new, higher class of people with immunity, or those who buy ‘normality’ for a few days by showing a negative COVID test result.
So when will this stop? Based on the information provided by the state, it notThese rules do not mention a sunset provision. The government is seriously considering making this ‘the new normal’. And it will not be limited to just New York State. You can bet almost all blue states will (at the very least) copy this system in the short term. Are we really going to accept this? We are constantly scolded for activities that contain a hint of what someone considers racism, sexism, or any other ‘ism’ you might like to call. But discrimination against the unvaccinated is apparently fine and chic. This cannot stand as the way society will operate in the future and our elected officials must hear this loud and clear.