{"id":49973,"date":"2021-03-30T12:06:06","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T11:06:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/?p=49973"},"modified":"2021-04-01T19:26:18","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T18:26:18","slug":"covid-19-vaccine-passports-and-vaccine-hesitancy-freedom-or-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2021\/03\/30\/covid-19-vaccine-passports-and-vaccine-hesitancy-freedom-or-control\/","title":{"rendered":"Covid-19 vaccine passports and vaccine hesitancy: freedom or control?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Recent debates around \u201cvaccine passports,&#8221; or formal\/mandatory certification of vaccination, point towards a potential widening societal divide between those who are vaccinated and those who are not. Those with certification of covid-19 immunisation might be permitted to travel, work, go to the gym, play sports, attend entertainment events, dine in restaurants, and ultimately, return to &#8220;normal&#8221; life. According to Clare Wenham of the London School of Economics, such a distinction would contribute to the creation of a<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">two-tier system<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8221; and given<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">history shows that when you create division within society it leads to civil unrest,&#8221;<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> she believes this may result in a &#8220;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/global-health\/science-and-disease\/fears-vaccine-apartheid-countries-mull-immunisation-passports\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">vaccine apartheid<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are many international and country level experiences in which proof of immunity or prior vaccination are either encouraged or required, highlighting the potential use of covid-19 passports both on a local, national, and international scale. Historically, this includes travel vaccine certification (for diseases such as yellow fever, or previously, smallpox), or vaccination for various occupational purposes to protect at-risk healthcare workers and\/or their patients. Mandatory vaccination of children before kindergarten or school-entry is also used in some countries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The UK prime minister has ordered a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-56169616\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">review of vaccine passports.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, plans to implement the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/commission\/presscorner\/detail\/en\/ip_21_1181\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Digital Green Certificate<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">which would have three primary objectives: providing proof of vaccination, recovery, and\/or results of a recent covid-19 test. It should ultimately represent a &#8220;<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">path to gradual, safe, and lasting reopening,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8221; she says, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">by enabling citizens to &#8220;<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">move safely and freely in the European Union<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Such certificates shall be available for all EU citizens and respect non-discriminatory and data protection standards.&#8221; <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is an ambitious project, particularly<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-56025355\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> given the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">current vaccination rates in the EU<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Nonetheless, this document would include an &#8220;escape clause&#8221; and potentially allow for the provision of covid-19 test certificates, which could be a partial solution to the issue of vaccine unavailability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The World Health Organization (WHO) has taken a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/articles-detail\/interim-position-paper-considerations-regarding-proof-of-covid-19-vaccination-for-international-travellers\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">distinct position regarding vaccine passports<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> based on ethical, technological, legal, and scientific questions, and urges measures that least impede freedom of movement. Ethical considerations relate to the global shortage of vaccines and the further worsening of existing inequalities (both in terms of accessibility and availability of covid-19 vaccines and tests). WHO currently discourages national authorities from mandating covid-19 immunisations passports. They say <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;there are still critical unknowns regarding the efficacy of vaccination in reducing transmission.&#8221; <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Furthermore, to implement such passports, vaccines shall first be approved by the WHO securing quality and global availability. This is of utmost importance when considering the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2020\/science\/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker.html\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">multitude of current covid-19 and candidate vaccines and the country-wise differences in the adopted vaccines<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The development of &#8220;fake&#8221; passports is also a concern. The need for interoperability standards, as stressed by the WHO, is crucial, along with securing confidentiality and traceability. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Such solutions must work locally and internationally<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Despite these recommendations, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Austria, and Greece are considering introducing covid-19 vaccine passports. Similarly, Asian and American governments are considering such a move. In contrast, the French government has expressed its concerns regarding passports.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use of vaccine passports may extend beyond travelling purposes and determine access to &#8220;normal life.&#8221; Israel has issued a<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/corona.health.gov.il\/en\/directives\/green-pass-info\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">green-pass<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, allowing individuals to attend gym classes, theatres, concerts, and hotels; use of such certificates has extended to those wishing to sit inside restaurants and bars. Yet, while this approach has already allowed<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/news\/2021-02-israel-re-opens-green-vaccinated.html\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">about 5 million citizens to return to some &#8220;normality,&#8221;<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> the process of implementing and enforcing the use of these passports remains problematic, mainly from logistic, legal, and ethical aspects. The green passport may be complemented with rapid testing. The Polish government has issued a QR code allowing a downloadable version of a vaccine confirmation document, which shall grant &#8220;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.euractiv.com\/section\/politics\/short_news\/vaccinated-poles-to-receive-special-passports\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">rights to which vaccinated people are entitled.&#8221;<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0In addition to national measures, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">large private actors (e.g. British tour operator Sage and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/business-56392570\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">British Airways<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">) are considering introducing vaccine passports. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Travel insurers may operate a two-tier system charging <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.internationalinvestment.net\/news\/4024394\/refusal-covid-19-vaccine-cost-travel-insurance\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">higher premiums<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for unvaccinated individuals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vaccine passports can contribute to vaccine hesitancy in two ways, either by increasing citizens&#8217; concerns or by encouraging vaccine uptake. Vaccine hesitancy is strongly dependent on contextual factors and the vaccines available. There are<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.healthdata.org\/sites\/default\/files\/files\/Projects\/COVID\/2021\/44566_briefing_European_Region_5.pdf\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">extensive areas of covid-19 vaccine hesitancy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in Eastern Europe, Russia, and France. There is a higher desire for covid vaccination in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Scandinavia, and the UK. In the UK, not only are there problems with uptake and reluctance amongst certain ethnic minority groups, but there may be a shift from using the term \u201cvaccine hesitancy\u201d as it could perpetuate stigma and discrimination. \u201cVaccine confidence\u201d conveys a more positive outlook.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The role of vaccine passports for countering vaccine hesitancy remains problematic. Those who actively resist vaccine programmes (anti-vaxxers) may portray vaccine passports as coercive measures of the global vaccination plan to control the population and violate privacy. The lack of consistent evidence of effectiveness highlighted by the WHO compromises the message to be vaccinated. Furthermore, the lack of globally endorsed-measures and a WHO-accepted vaccine leads to questions such as: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Which vaccine is best? Which vaccine would I like my neighbour to have had, before a flight or before attending a gym class? Which vaccine is safest for me to travel given the various mutations?&#8221; <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A key issue in relying on individual consumer choice weakens the ability of governments to vaccinate large percentages of their populations. All these factors can exert negative influences on hesitant individuals and may subsequently lower immunisation rates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In contrast, vaccine passports may increase the uptake of immunisation as part of a collective desire to return to \u201cnormality.\u201d Moreover, individuals may realise that vaccinated individuals do not suffer from adverse effects leading to higher perceived benefits than risks. For instance, t<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">he Israeli <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">green-pass<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> has been seen as beneficial in enabling freedom of movement and persuading many, including minorities and hesitant groups to be vaccinated. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employers may reasonably believe that vaccine passports offer an additional level of assurance to keep their<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/965dfaf0-f070-4dae-93a6-28bedbdb75da\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">workplace safer and their workforce protected<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, maintain business continuity, and ensure protection from litigation and trade disputes. Vaccine passports may be highly desirable in areas with high infection rates, often stimulated by poor quality working and living conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There is an urgent need for coordinated, global policy on vaccination passports or certification, and for complementary policies at national and local levels. The need for such policies raises many questions: How should vaccine prioritisation plans be modified in light of possible growing demands linked to immunisation passports? How would this deal with the different variants and their fit with prior vaccines? How would vaccine passports be implemented in countries\/areas with high vaccine-hesitancy rates? Would this result in fraudulent documentation? Would clinicians come under pressure to provide medical exemption certificates? Will vaccine passports be a precondition for one&#8217;s working environment?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Imposing vaccine passports is likely to provoke even more community resistance to vaccination where it exists. We need high levels of<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2021\/01\/28\/we-need-an-equitable-and-coordinated-global-approach-to-covid-19-vaccination\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">vaccination coverage across and within all countries<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. We will not be free from the virus until everyone is free. Since passports are an imminent reality, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ndpr.nd.edu\/reviews\/creating-capabilities-the-human-development-approach-2\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">trust, community involvement and consent<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> are essential in bringing societies together and ensuring effective international action.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<div>\n<div class=\"gmail_quote\">\n<blockquote class=\"gmail_quote\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><em><strong>Giulia Sesa<\/strong>, European Public Health, Department of International Health, CAPHRI, FHML, Maastricht University<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><b><i>Brian Li Han Wong<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Medical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, Department of Population Science and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Katarzyna Czabanowska<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Past President of ASPHER and Department of International Health, CAPHRI\u00a0 Maastricht University\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b><i>John Reid<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Honorary Professor of Public Health, Chester University.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Nadav Davidovitch<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Professor of Public Health,\u00a0 Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Jose M Martin-Moreno<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, ASPHER Honours Committee &amp; Department of Preventive Medicine and INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Spain<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b><i>John Middleton<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, HonProfessor of Public Health University of Wolverhampton and President, Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER).<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Competing Interests<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: none declared<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On behalf of the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) COVID-19 Task Force Vaccination group: Laurent Chambaud, Katarzyna Czabanowska, Nadav Davidovitch, Ranjeet Dhonkal, Manfred Green, Jose M Martin-Moreno, John D Middleton, Jean-Philippe Naboulet, Robert Otok, John Reid, Giulia Sesa, Mohamud Sheek-Hussein, and Brian Li Han Wong. Address for correspondence <\/span><\/i><a href=\"mailto:john.middleton@aspher.org\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">john.middleton@aspher.org<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recent debates around \u201cvaccine passports,&#8221; or formal\/mandatory certification of vaccination, point towards a potential widening societal divide between those who are vaccinated and those who are not. Those with certification [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2021\/03\/30\/covid-19-vaccine-passports-and-vaccine-hesitancy-freedom-or-control\/\">More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":49974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[263],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-global-health"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Covid-19 vaccine passports and vaccine hesitancy: freedom or control?\u00a0 - The BMJ<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2021\/03\/30\/covid-19-vaccine-passports-and-vaccine-hesitancy-freedom-or-control\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Covid-19 vaccine passports and vaccine hesitancy: freedom or control?\u00a0 - The BMJ\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Recent debates around \u201cvaccine passports,&#8221; or formal\/mandatory certification of vaccination, point towards a potential widening societal divide between those who are vaccinated and those who are not. 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