Nebraska Governor Rejects Vaccine Passport System: Biden Administration Meets Hesitation from Pete Ricketts

The state of Nebraska will not participate in a COVID-19 vaccine passport system under Governor Pete Ricketts.

Vaccine passports are similar to vaccine cards, used primarily by frequent international travelers. It stands as proof of vaccination against illnesses that really shouldn’t be spread around -- specifically, those that are deadly.

In January, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to find a way to link coronavirus vaccinations to the vaccine passports, because knowing whether or not a traveler is vaccinated against a global pandemic-causing virus is very important to international governments. Biden also pushed for creating a digital version of this form, because currently it’s a slip of paper.

The reasons that Governor Ricketts rejected the vaccine passports are simple. In a press release, he stated, “Nebraska will not participate in any vaccine passport program. This concept violates two central tenets of the American system: freedom of movement and healthcare privacy. Nebraska will take any necessary action to protect the private health information of our citizens and the freedoms we cherish.”

Currently there have been several concerns raised as to whether or not the government has the right to handle this type of information. Senior Advisor to the White House coronavirus team Andy Slavitt stated, “It's not the role of the government to create such a passport or hold that kind of data on its citizens.”

Luckily for Nebraska, the Midwest is not known for being a bustling focal point of international travel. This push for the COVID-19 vaccine passport by the Biden administration focuses on individuals who travel to places other than locations that don’t see a lot of international commerce.

While the concept of integrating COVID-19 protocol into the pre-existing vaccine passport model stands as a valid idea, there isn’t a reason to worry about this. The entire idea revolves around people who travel internationally, and it does not infringe on your right to bear arms or to free speech.

Alexander Nesmith is a junior

communication major from

Calhoun, Ga.