Our Chicago: Vaccine passports could be used for travel, concerts, sports as life returns to normalcy

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Sunday, April 11, 2021
Our Chicago
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CHICAGO (WLS) -- Proof of vaccination could be a step toward normalcy, according to some experts.

Vaccine passports could be used to allow people into crowded venues like concerts and ballgames. They could also be used for travel.

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A uniform vaccine confirmation is not new, but there are privacy concerns with a digital version, said Dr. Craig Klugman, DePaul University professor.

Historically, a yellow fever vaccine card was used for the past 50 years and was recognized internationally, according to Dr. Craig Klugman, professor of bioethics and health humanities at DePaul University. While the Biden administration looked at 17 different electronic passports, it did not pick one.

"This is not new. This is something we have done before. The electronic version is new, and whether it would be required to get into certain places beyond entry to a country to which you are traveling, that will also be new," Dr. Klugman said.

WATCH: Our Chicago Part 2

A large part of America would react negatively to a vaccine passport but would also require voluntary compliance, said Mattew Kuglar, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.

People get scared with the idea of presenting an unfamiliar credential, so people recognize that certain vaccinations are required for schools, but people are familiar with that process, according to Matthew Kugler, associate professor of law at Northwestern Prizker School of Law.

Businesses or employers can require proof of vaccinations with some exemptions, Kugler said.