Vaccine passport ban receives local support

By Eric Seiverling

eseiverling@yourmvi.com

The Pennsylvania House voted this week to ban vaccine passports and to limit the powers of the state’s secretary of health in a state of emergency.

Vaccine passports are IDs that display who has received COVID vaccinations and who hasn’t.

The bill, which now heads to the Senate, prohibits proof-of-vaccination requirements by state-funded institutions of higher learning such as colleges and trade schools, along with government entities such as government buildings and political subdivisions such as boroughs, municipalities and cities.

The bill prohibits the state’s health secretary from ordering a closure and prevents anyone who has not been exposed to a virus from being ordered to quarantine, wear a face mask, socially distance themselves, restrict their travel or conduct a specific health practice.

Local officials who voted for the bill include Bud Cook, R-West Pike Run Township, Eric Davanzo, R-South Huntingdon and Mike Puskaric, R-Union Township. 

Austin Davis, D-McKeesport, voted against the bill.

“It is imperative we continue to protect the freedoms of each and every Pennsylvanian,” Puskaric said. “Requiring a vaccine passport for Pennsylvanians to live their lives day to day represents an extreme government intrusion into people’s personal lives. This is particularly evident as we are dealing with citizens’ private medical information.

“I believe that every Pennsylvanian who wants a COVID-19 vaccine should have the opportunity to receive one. However, those who cannot get the vaccine due to medical reasons, arbitrary vaccine deployment phases created by the governor or personal choice should not be discriminated against by their own government.”

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