Vaccine Passports In New York – A Return to Normal or An Invasion of Privacy?

By Nolan Cleary, Editor-in-Chief 

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Americans have generally remained divided on several requirements imposed as a result of the virus. 

Mask mandates and social distancing guidelines polarized the nation. Now, with COVID-19 vaccinations on the rise, America may once again be separate on major COVID-19 policy. 

On March 26, 2021, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo introduced the Excelsior Pass, a digital app showing the vaccination status of an individual. The pass also shows whether one is COVID-19 positive or negative. 

According to their website, “Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the launch of Excelsior Pass — a free, voluntary platform developed in partnership with IBM, which utilizes proven, secure technology to confirm an individual’s recent negative PCR or antigen test result or proof of vaccination to help fast-track the reopening of businesses and event venues in accordance with New York State Department of Health guidelines.”

As of the current moment, passports are voluntary for all New Yorkers. 

Despite recent consideration, President Joe Biden’s administration recently declined to make vaccine passports mandatory for airlines. However, that doesn’t mean the idea may soon be adopted in certain areas of the state, and the country. 

While the Excelsior Pass is not mandated by the state government, private businesses do have the ability to refuse service to customers who are unable to provide proof of vaccination. 

With a spike in fake vaccine cards, many have turned to services like the Excelsior Pass to provide digital verification the person in question has been vaccinated. 

Several colleges including Cornell and Rutgers have already required students to take the vaccine to return to campus in person. 

With some businesses having pondered the possibility, some have questioned the ethics of vaccine verification. Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have already drafted a bill to outlaw vaccine passports nationwide. 

Many have praised the effort as a way of amping the economy up and reducing vaccine hesitancy. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio described vaccine passports as something that “could be a really valuable tool.” 

At Hudson Valley Community College, students remain generally skeptical of the idea of vaccine passports. 

Nikita Padunin, a student in bioengineering, opposes the idea of proof of vaccinations but says he understands the thinking vaccines should be mandatory for colleges and other businesses. 

“I wouldn’t support it, but I also strongly disagree so I would just do what I’m told,” Padunin said. “I don’t like the idea that we could be required to be vaccinated,” Padunin added. 

Tatianna Morange, the Secretary of the Student Senate, said she believes a majority of students oppose proof of the vaccine at Hudson Valley Community College. 

“I do want to say, as a Senate Representative at Hudson Valley, we have been advocating against students being required to get the vaccine altogether, mainly because we are hearing from students that they do not want that,” Morange said. 

Morange said she opposes requiring vaccine passports or proof vaccinations for airports and other businesses. 

“Schools have in the past exercised their right to require students to get their vaccines and I think that is fine as long as vaccines have gone through all the same trials that other vaccines have. I think that when you require something, it does have to be approved at the highest level,” Morange said. 

Antonio Tarver, a student in individual studies said he has mixed feelings on the idea of proof of vaccinations. 

“I don’t think it’s necessary for Hudson Valley, because we had four or five COVID cases. However, I do think it’s necessary for four-year schools. You have to look at what happened to Delhi. Delhi and the neighboring school, Oneonta. 300 kids got COVID from a party. I think that’s necessary to keep things in order,” Tarver said. 

So far, SUNY has expressed hesitancy towards the idea of mandatory vaccinations and proof of vaccinations. SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras has said he has no plans as of the current moment to require students to get vaccinated to return in person in the Fall. 

In an exclusive interview with The Hudsonian, Hudson Valley Community College President Roger Ramsammy said he doesn’t believe mandatory vaccinations will be necessary on campus. 

“I will say that because we are a vaccination site, and because I’m hearing that most people are getting vaccinated, I think we would be ok to provide the necessary materials to those who decided they didn’t want to that, and for that reason, it’s gives me the opportunity to say that I would prefer not to have to do something like that. I would not want to make things a requirement to enter the campus. We are a public campus, we are a place that is open to the public and I would like to keep it that way,” Ramsammy said.