New York launches nation’s first ‘vaccine passport’
New York has become the first state to launch a “vaccine passport” that can be used to get into certain venues.
Called an Excelsior Pass, the passport will be available on a phone app in the form of a QR code that can be scanned to prove the owner has been vaccinated, USA Today reported on Friday.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is reportedly expected to announce the new initiative on Friday.
The pass will be used at entertainment venues and can allow for increased crowd sizes for events such as weddings.
Other countries including Denmark have already begun implementing their own vaccine passports.
The app for New York is being funded by the state and was built on IBM’s digital health pass platform, USA Today reported.
The United States is vaccinating 2 million people a day, and President Biden this week upped his goal to getting 200 million people at least their first dose within his first 100 days.
It is not clear if vaccine passports will be developed around the country or accepted by many Americans, as some are still unwilling to get the coronavirus vaccine.
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