President Joe Biden’s administration will not back a system that requires Americans to carry coronavirus vaccine credentials, the White House said on Tuesday.
“The government is not now, nor will we be supporting a system that requires Americans to carry a credential,” spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters. “There will be no federal vaccinations database and no federal mandate requiring everyone to obtain a single vaccination credential.”
The credentials, often referred to as vaccine passports, have been floated by private and nonprofit sectors to return to events where people can gather in large swaths in the US.
The idea prompted debate among Republicans who oppose the move, saying it violates freedoms and privacy.
“Our interest is very simple from the federal government, which is Americans privacy and rights should be protected so that these systems are not used against people,” said Psaki.
Earlier, the state of Texas banned institutions there from creating vaccine passports.
“Texans shouldn’t be required to show proof of vaccination and reveal private health information just to go about their daily lives,” said Governor Greg Abbott.
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