n early 2021, cautious optimism grew as global coronavirus cases declined in almost every global region for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. Just six months later, Delta variant cases are outbidding this year’s earlier hopes that the end of this crisis was just around the corner. Across much of the globe, coronavirus cases are rising, nearing some of the peaks reached in earlier months of the pandemic.
In this midst of rising caseloads, some states are trying an idea that has long been floated as a potential pandemic management strategy: vaccine passports. In Europe, both France and Italy have implemented vaccine pass systems to keep the coronavirus out of public venues. So far, the two states have met drastically different responses to vaccine passports. Italy implemented its health passport system, Green Pass, earlier this month to widespread cooperation and enthusiasm. A recent poll found that 66% of Italians supported the recent Green Pass initiative, which requires that patrons of museums, movie theaters, restaurants, and other social activities present proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 swab test, or proof of past viral infection. And even before Green Passes were officially required in public spaces, Italians were quick to sign up for the service. By late July, after the government announced the rule on July 22, 83% of Italy’s 60 million residents had downloaded the certification.
To the west in neighboring France, things couldn’t be more different. This past week saw the fourth weekend of protests over Paris’s pass sanitaire, a health pass similar to Italy’s Green Pass requiring vaccination, proof of a negative swab test, or proof of past infection to visit libraries, enjoy movie theaters, or attend an indoor sporting event. During the first week of August alone, over 200,000 protesters hit the streets, some even wearing Stars of David marked with non vaccinée (not vaccinated), comparing the French government to the Nazi regime that forced such golden stars on Jewish residents during the Holocaust. In a country whose three founding principles include liberty, some French residents see pass sanitaire as a fundamental attack on individual rights worthy of comparison to genocide and fascism. However, despite headline-making backlash, the French government is not backing down on its healthcare policy. Last week, the government extended health-pass requirements to cafes, restaurants, and long-distance travel.
And while Europe grapples with the implementation of vaccine passports, Israel has been experimenting with a similar policy since the beginning of this year. Israel was the first country to implement any kind of vaccine passport system, also known as a green pass system, in February 2021. Similar to the policies implemented in France and Italy, only green pass holders in Israel were allowed to exercise in gyms, stay at hotels, or dine indoors in restaurants. In June 2021, the Israeli government lifted the green pass regulations, citing all-time low levels of coronavirus cases (in fact, two days before the green pass mandate expired on June 1, Israel had only discovered four new cases of the virus out of 22,360 tests). However, a recent surge in Israeli cases thanks to the Delta variant prompted the government to reconsider its earlier pandemic restrictions. Israel reinstated its indoor mask mandate and on July 29, returned to its earlier green pass system as a mode of crushing rising coronavirus caseloads. The new restrictions only apply to indoor and outdoor venues that host over 100 patrons. As with France and Italy, the success of this second vaccine passport attempt will likely inform the policies of other states as the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus.
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Governments Grapple with Vaccine Passports
Paris, France. Photo by Mat Napo via Unsplash.
August 18, 2021
Israel, Italy, and France have instituted variations of a vaccine passport to control the spread of COVID-19 as the Delta variant sends infection numbers up globally. The reception and success of these programs could influence whether similar programs are taken up elsewhere, writes Allyson Berri.
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n early 2021, cautious optimism grew as global coronavirus cases declined in almost every global region for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. Just six months later, Delta variant cases are outbidding this year’s earlier hopes that the end of this crisis was just around the corner. Across much of the globe, coronavirus cases are rising, nearing some of the peaks reached in earlier months of the pandemic.
In this midst of rising caseloads, some states are trying an idea that has long been floated as a potential pandemic management strategy: vaccine passports. In Europe, both France and Italy have implemented vaccine pass systems to keep the coronavirus out of public venues. So far, the two states have met drastically different responses to vaccine passports. Italy implemented its health passport system, Green Pass, earlier this month to widespread cooperation and enthusiasm. A recent poll found that 66% of Italians supported the recent Green Pass initiative, which requires that patrons of museums, movie theaters, restaurants, and other social activities present proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 swab test, or proof of past viral infection. And even before Green Passes were officially required in public spaces, Italians were quick to sign up for the service. By late July, after the government announced the rule on July 22, 83% of Italy’s 60 million residents had downloaded the certification.
To the west in neighboring France, things couldn’t be more different. This past week saw the fourth weekend of protests over Paris’s pass sanitaire, a health pass similar to Italy’s Green Pass requiring vaccination, proof of a negative swab test, or proof of past infection to visit libraries, enjoy movie theaters, or attend an indoor sporting event. During the first week of August alone, over 200,000 protesters hit the streets, some even wearing Stars of David marked with non vaccinée (not vaccinated), comparing the French government to the Nazi regime that forced such golden stars on Jewish residents during the Holocaust. In a country whose three founding principles include liberty, some French residents see pass sanitaire as a fundamental attack on individual rights worthy of comparison to genocide and fascism. However, despite headline-making backlash, the French government is not backing down on its healthcare policy. Last week, the government extended health-pass requirements to cafes, restaurants, and long-distance travel.
And while Europe grapples with the implementation of vaccine passports, Israel has been experimenting with a similar policy since the beginning of this year. Israel was the first country to implement any kind of vaccine passport system, also known as a green pass system, in February 2021. Similar to the policies implemented in France and Italy, only green pass holders in Israel were allowed to exercise in gyms, stay at hotels, or dine indoors in restaurants. In June 2021, the Israeli government lifted the green pass regulations, citing all-time low levels of coronavirus cases (in fact, two days before the green pass mandate expired on June 1, Israel had only discovered four new cases of the virus out of 22,360 tests). However, a recent surge in Israeli cases thanks to the Delta variant prompted the government to reconsider its earlier pandemic restrictions. Israel reinstated its indoor mask mandate and on July 29, returned to its earlier green pass system as a mode of crushing rising coronavirus caseloads. The new restrictions only apply to indoor and outdoor venues that host over 100 patrons. As with France and Italy, the success of this second vaccine passport attempt will likely inform the policies of other states as the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus.
