Vaccine passport scheme poses ethical dilemma for Biden administration
Digital credentials showing proof of a person’s Covid-19 test results and vaccination are rapidly being embraced globally as a tool to help jump start travel and tourism. However, it could lead to a confusing patchwork of different, incompatible apps that could create confusion and breed fraud.
States, airlines and tech companies are pressuring the Biden administration to develop a federal standard for vaccine passports, but the White House says the government shouldn’t issue the credentials or store the data.
"It should be private, the data should be secure, the access to it should be free, it should be available digitally and in paper," said White House Covid-19 adviser Andy Slavitt.
While there are obvious ethical issues, the U.S. Travel Association says ‘there is a role for the US government to set standards.’
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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