New Yorkers will be required to show “vaccine passports” – proof that they received the COVID-19 vaccine – to re-enter society.
The New York Post reported that the “Excelsior Pass” would be officially launched on April 2, following an announcement by Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) on Friday.
“Similar to a boarding pass from a mobile airline, individuals will be able to print their card or store it on their smartphones using the Excelsior Pass Wallet app,” said a press release about the program. “Each Pass will have a secure QR code, which participating companies and locations can scan using a complementary application to verify proof of negative results from the COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination. An individual’s data is kept safe and confidential at all times. “
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The application will not show any health information when scanned – it will only show a green check mark if the person has been vaccinated or tested negatively or a red “x” if not.
Major venues, like Madison Square Garden and the Times Union Center in Albany, will start using the app next week, and on April 2, the Excelsior Pass will be expanded to “arts, entertainment and smaller events,” said the office. from Cuomo.
The application, launched Friday, already works to prove vaccination or negative test results and can be used to access wedding receptions, which now require negative exams from participants, and other events above the fraternization limit.
In a statement, Cuomo said: “New Yorkers have proven that they can follow public health guidelines to defeat COVID, and the innovative Excelsior Pass is another tool in our new toolbox to fight the virus, allowing more sectors of the economy reopen securely and keep personal information safe. “
“The question of ‘public health or economics’ has always been a false choice – the answer must be both. As more New Yorkers are vaccinated each day and major public health measures continue to regularly reach their lowest rates in months, the nation’s first Excelsior Pass heralds the next step in our careful, science-based reopening, ” he added.
As Daily Wire’s Joe Curl previously reported, the program was announced earlier this month and was tested in a New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden on March 2.
At the time, Cuomo said, “We are doing everything we can to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as possible, as quickly as possible, while keeping the infection rate low and re-energizing our economy in a safe and smart way.”
“As we begin to reopen the valves in different sectors of our economy, we are establishing guidelines to ensure that individuals who participate in events that involve large gatherings have a negative COVID test or have been vaccinated to prevent an outbreak of the virus. The Excelsior Pass will play a key role in obtaining information for locations and websites in a safe and agile way, allowing us to accelerate the reopening of these businesses and leaving us one step closer to reaching a new normal, ”he continued.
Cuomo also emphasized that approved vaccines protect users’ privacy.
“Robust privacy protections are woven throughout the digital health pass solution, offering individuals a safe, verifiable and reliable way to keep track of their personal health information using an encrypted digital smartphone wallet or printed credential. Each participant will be able to determine whether they would like to use it – and, if so, which passes they wish to use for what purpose – all without sharing their underlying personal data. User data is always kept completely confidential and participation is voluntary. The QR code only informs the site whether a pass is valid or invalid, ”said a press release for the program.
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