Vaccine passports during the COVID-19 pandemic

A vaccine passport or proof of vaccination was an immunity passport employed as a credential in countries and jurisdictions as part of efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic via vaccination. A vaccine passport was typically issued by a government or health authority, and usually consisted of a digital or printed record (such as a vaccine card, QR code, or digital authentication).

The use of vaccine passports was based on the general presumption that a vaccinated individual would be less likely to transmit SARS-CoV-2 to others, and less likely to experience a severe outcome (hospitalization or death) if they were to be infected, thus making it relatively safer for them to congregate. A vaccine passport was typically coordinated with policies enforced by individual businesses, or enforceable public health orders, that required patrons to present proof of vaccination for COVID-19 as a condition of entry or service; in the latter case, these requirements were intended to improve uptake of the vaccines, which in turn would allow for the gradual easing of overall public health restrictions.

Government-mandated use of vaccine passports during the COVID-19 pandemic typically applied to discretionary public spaces and events (such as indoor restaurants, bars, and large-scale in-person events, such as concerts and sports), and not essential businesses, such as retail stores or health care. In France, Italy, Ireland, and Canada, vaccine uptake increased after various levels of governments announced plans to introduce vaccine passports.

Vaccine passports were controversial and raised scientific, ethical and legal concerns. England initially decided against mandating vaccine passports due to worries that discrimination and economic harm would occur, but later joined the other nations of the United Kingdom in mandating vaccine passports due to the threat of the Omicron variant.

The concept proved divisive in the United States; Canada, the UK and much of the European Union citing civil liberties and privacy concerns. The U.S. federal government left the matter to individual states.