President Joe Biden issued an executive order in January instructing US officials to study the feasibility of adding Covid-19 vaccination records to international immunization cards and digitizing them.
The boost to the Covid-19 vaccine’s credentials is accompanied by fears that any passport – basically a full access pass – would compromise privacy, equality and human rights.
“Is this the new world we will live in forever?” asks Françoise Baylis, a bioethics expert who was consulted on the subject by Canadian and global authorities. “Governments have an obligation not only to decide what they will allow, but also what they will not allow.”
Trudeau has not yet embraced the idea and is taking too long, sources say.
He rejected the idea of a vaccine passport during an interview with Reuters in January, arguing that it was “fraught with challenges”. He said he is concerned with creating “undesirable effects on entrainment” in communities, as there are many reasons why someone might not receive a sjot.
Last week, Trudeau was more receptive, saying he had heard “pros and cons”. Asked if he changed his mind, he noted how the experts’ recommendations evolved in Covid affairs during the pandemic.
At home, Trudeau’s apprehension contrasts with the governments of Canada’s two most populous provinces, Ontario and Quebec, which are advancing.
The provinces, which have jurisdiction over first-rate health services, have signaled that they are working on certification systems that can allow reopened parts of their savings to people who have been vaccinated.
With Canada immersed in a political discussion about vaccine passports at various levels, here are some of the factors that are being debated and discussed:
1. What would a vaccine passport mean, anyway?
Considering all the unknowns about Covid-19, its variants and vaccines, there is skepticism about the effectiveness of a vaccination test certification.
This uncertainty supports Trudeau’s hesitation about whether Canada should adopt vaccine passports, a government source told POLITICO.
“Some provinces are exploring certification options now, which is a good thing,” said the source, who added some angles that should be considered.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said the science is unclear about immunity and the risks of transmission to those who have been vaccinated.
The person also underlined the ethical and civil liberties concerns, which they added, led to talk of possible legal challenges. Some have warned of potential legal conflicts if, for example, employers require vaccine certificates.
“That’s why, at this stage, we say that our decisions will be based on science,” said the source.
Patty Hajdu, Trudeau’s health minister, told Rosemary Barton Live of the CBC that vaccine certification is a “very lively” international issue. She said it is on the agenda for meetings with her G-7 colleagues.
“It is a dynamic space,” said Hajdu in an interview, which aired on Sunday. “The intention is to coordinate, yes, because you can imagine the confusion in international travel if there are different certifications that are required.”
Health Canada claims that science shows that approved Covid-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing disease. It is not yet known, however, whether those who get the vaccines can still spread the virus or how long the vaccines will last.
“The Government of Canada is aware that some jurisdictions are considering granting privileges to vaccinated people through a certification process,” Health Canada spokeswoman Maryse Durette wrote in an email. “Any similar consideration in the Canadian context would have to be based on reliable scientific evidence.”
Canada’s position is similar to that of the World Health Organization, which in a January statement advised against introducing vaccination proof requirements for international travel as an entry condition because “there are still unknown unknowns about the effectiveness of vaccination in reducing transmission and limited availability of vaccines. “
Still, WHO launched an effort to set international standards through its “Smart Vaccination Certificate” working group.
And even though the Canadian government is not yet enthusiastic about the idea, it is also studying the subject.
Iain Stewart, head of Canada’s Public Health Agency, told a parliamentary committee last month that officials were “looking hard” at the idea of some type of vaccination certification documentation.
“As people are immunized, it will become increasingly necessary,” said Stewart when asked about immunity passports.
2. Who would be left out?
Speaking of passports is creating concerns about giving privileges to vaccinees – both nationally and internationally.
Some people will refuse to receive the Covid-19 vaccine and others will fail because of health problems, such as allergies.
Baylis, a professor at Dalhousie University, said that seeking freedom of movement for some people restricts it to others. She added that there is not enough attention for those who may be harmed by the vaccine’s credentials.
Internationally, she said certification is being proposed at a time when the vast majority of people in the world do not have access to a vaccine.
“So, now you are going to deprive how much of the population?” Baylis said. “We are almost 8 billion people. We know that at the rate we are able to produce and launch the vaccine that we have been looking at for several years. “
Perrin Beatty, head of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, supports the idea of a vaccine passport as a tool to allow the economy to open more quickly.
But he said that public discussion is needed to ensure that any possible approach is designed in a way that people who cannot get the vaccine are not deprived of a right they would otherwise have.
Beatty said he is concerned because there has been little public debate about them in Canada.
“Other countries are moving forward and we would be foolish if we just sat on our side and waited for others to develop standards,” he said. “It is a problem that we would have to solve. You do not want a situation in which if someone, for medical reasons, cannot be vaccinated, they are deprived of any rights that they would otherwise have. “
3. How do we deal with privacy issues … and do people care?
Privacy fears about vaccine passports are centered on the risk of unauthorized third party access to an individual’s documents health data.
Ann Cavoukian, the former Ontario privacy commissioner, said in an interview that once health information gets into the hands of others, you never know where it will end up.
“Whenever you have a crisis, a terrorist incident, a pandemic, whatever, privacy measures are neglected,” said Cavoukian, who does not like the idea of digital health passes. “But once the crisis is over, these privacy invasion practices continue.”
Cavoukian is assisting the Good Health Pass Collaborative, which is creating a plan for Covid’s digital credential systems. She said the collaboration, which includes governments and experts from the travel, health and technology sectors, will ensure that personal health information remains under the individual’s control.
“We have to preserve our privacy, it forms the basis of our freedom and it is essential that we preserve it now and in the future,” she said. “The direction that these things are taking challenges us to another.”
Canada’s federal privacy security body has not yet been consulted on issues related to the vaccine passport. Vito Pilieci, spokesman for Commissioner Daniel Therrien, said the office would like to see evidence that Covid-19 vaccines protect not only the person who was vaccinated, but also other individuals with whom they come into contact.
“This would be instrumental in assessing the need for a vaccine passport, or more broadly, proof of vaccination as a condition of service or employment,” he said.
4. How would it work in all jurisdictions – here at home, around the world?
An internationally accepted vaccine proof certificate may be inevitable as the world seeks to reopen travel from one country to another.
And people who have postponed holidays and family reunions may be willing to do whatever it takes to go abroad.
But in Canada, it is any domestic form of vaccine passport that is likely to cause the most concern.
Those who are not vaccinated for medical or other reasons may one day be restricted to restaurants, sporting events or shows, while their vaccinated colleagues receive a full access pass.
To further complicate Canada’s approach is the fact that its 10 provinces are responsible for administering health services, Covid-19 vaccination and, most likely, any vaccine certification plans.
For this reason, Trudeau may not have much to say about how the country is moving forward.
Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott warned in December that people who are not vaccinated may be prevented from some activities, including trips and trips to the movies.
Asked in March about an update on possible restrictions, an Ontario health department spokesman declined to elaborate.
“The COVID-19 vaccine will not be mandatory for Ontarians, but we strongly suggest that people take the opportunity,” wrote Lindsay Davidson by email.
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé said last week that his province was planning a passport for the vaccine because the companies first wanted to open their doors to those who were vaccinated.
5. What are the other options?
Airlines, including through the International Air Transport Association, have been testing digital certification. At the end of this month, the European Commission will present a proposal on a digital “green pass” for travel.
Beatty said that some form of vaccine certification is very likely at the international level – and he predicts that people will also want some form of credential in Canada.
“I see this as a domestic tool that would allow us to open up more quickly and allow people to return to a more normal life sooner,” he said.
Beatty suggests modeling a solution after the optional trusted traveler program known as NEXUS, which speeds up the process for Canadians and Americans crossing the shared border. To qualify for a NEXUS card, people must be willing to provide iris scans and fingerprints.
Beatty said he would give people confidence that the people around him were vaccinated when they are in a crowd.
Crossings of the Canada-United States border, closed to non-essential trips for almost a year, have the potential to be the first to adopt vaccine certification.
But last month, Public Security Minister Bill Blair said that vaccine certification was still not good enough to enter Canada. “At the moment, the answer to that question is no,” Blair said at a news conference when asked about it.
He added that people wishing to enter the country had yet to submit a 72-hour negative Covid test.
“We, of course, rely entirely on the evidence and advice from the Canadian Public Health Agency,” he said. “Unfortunately, there is not enough data to support the determination to depend on just one previous vaccination at this time.”