(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. government won’t issue so-called vaccine passports, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, though the Biden administration plans guidance for companies developing the credentials.
“The government is not now, nor will we be, supporting a system that requires Americans to carry a credential,” Psaki told reporters at a briefing.
The administration doesn’t want vaccine passports “used against people unfairly” and will provide guidance “that will look like an FAQ” for private-sector development of the credentials.
Vaccine passports are usually conceived as smart phone apps that would show the holder has been vaccinated against the coronavirus, easing travel and use of services like restaurants. The White House has previously said any such efforts should be led by the private and not-for-profit sectors.
But several Republican-led states have moved to limit development and use of the passports, citing privacy concerns. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an order Tuesday forbidding state agencies or any entity receiving public money from requiring vaccine passports.
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