The possibility of vaccine passports—proof a person has been fully vaccinated and giving them license to travel without quarantining among other privileges—has been a hotly contested new issue with some people saying a passport would be too invasive of the government.
One such dissenter is television personality Dr. Drew Pinsky, a controversial addiction medicine specialist and former host of radio show Loveline.
Pinsky tweeted Monday morning a vaccine passport would be nothing less than discrimination.
"Vaccinations are important, and I encourage everyone to get the Covid vaccine," wrote the doctor, "but how would you feel if international travel also required other vaccinations?"
The problem with Pinsky's assertion is several nations, including the United States, already do require specific vaccinations to obtain a visa.
Vaccinations for travel began coming into play in the 1940s, when the 1944 International Sanitary Convention produced certificates of vaccination against smallpox.
Last March, Pinsky was also dragged online after saying the pandemic was a "press-induced panic," for which he later apologized and urged Americans to listen to Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Vaccination passports are a likelihood for the United States going forward, as the travel industry is pushing for them to make travel easier for travelers and the industry.
They are another pavestone on the pathway to something like normalcy.
New York State has already Introduced one called "Excelsior Pass," meant to give folks who have been fully vaccinated access to major performance venues.
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U.S. Mint
