CT Coronavirus Vaccine Passport Survey: Results Are Close!

CONNECTICUT — Our coronavirus vaccine survey results were surprisingly close.

Just a little over 55 percent of the 3,699 readers who responded to Patch's survey of vaccine passport sentiment said they were against the idea, and nearly 45 percent were in favor of the certification. The narrow margin surprised us because the anti-passport sentiment that we have read on social media and Patch's own Neighbor Posts has been so clear and loud. Based on the results of this informal and unscientific survey, there is a "silent-but-not-quite-a-majority" of Connecticut residents pining for that passport.

But it's fair to say that those who are against being asked for proof of coronavirus vaccination are really, really against it:

"The fact that this is even a discussion is an absolute disgrace and an embarrassment for our state. If a business requires proof of vaccination, I would literally never frequent that establishment again. So they are wise to have nothing to do with this authoritarian garbage."

"It's not a restaurants business whether you are vaccinated or not, that's not their job. Nor is it the states job to tell me what I can and cannot do with my body. What happened to freedom of choice? It's my right to live freely. Not be forced to take a vaccine that has no long term data."

"I don't want the state or federal government monitoring my every move, purchase, and whereabouts. This action would remove our freedom as Americans. My medical decisions are private. End of story."

Many of those who are against a vaccine passport cited the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. HIPAA laws prevent insurers and health care providers from giving out someone's health information without their consent. The voluntary presentation of a vaccine passport in exchange for nonessential services or access is a horse of a different color.

Gov. Ned Lamont said he has no plans to make either the coronavirus vaccine or proof of vaccination mandatory for Connecticut residents. So if a theater or restaurant ties access to their establishment to proof of vaccination, your beef will be with the business owner, not the government. The real question is not about HIPAA, but whether it is legal for a business to deny services to the unvaccinated, especially when the vaccine itself is not mandatory.

Many felt that turning a vaccine passport loose in the marketplace, tacitly encouraging businesses, schools and employers to require it, was just a back-door approach to mandating the certification — or the vaccination itself:

"I will boycott all businesses that require a vaccine passport or proof of vaccine and move out of state if that is what is needed. My family will not be forced into receiving an experimental gene modifying therapy with no liability or accountability for the drug manufacturers."

The picture painted of a Vaccine Passport Future by most anti-passport readers was a decidedly dystopian one. Their comments dripped with more claims of "fascism," fears of a "police state," accusations of "blackmail" and Third Reich metaphors ("Have we learned nothing from history?!") than we have seen in a very long time.

Those opposed to vaccine passports in general still afforded a (very) small bit of wiggle room in certain circumstances. Over 14 percent said that some form of vaccination documentation had a place in schools, where certification for other pulmonary viruses, such as influenza, is not uncommon. Another 12 percent think the health verification papers would be appropriate for air travel, and over 31 percent were comfortable with mandatory temperature checks before entering a movie theater, restaurant or sports arena. Just over eight percent of those opposed to vaccine credentials said they'd actually feel safer in a restaurant knowing everyone else had been vaccinated, but that comfort didn't trump their skepticism of the system overall.

For those who signaled they were okay with some system of vaccine certification for businesses, there was not much filter, restraint, nor shortage of exclamation points. "All public venues" and "everywhere" were commonly mentioned as places most appropriate for a vaccine-check.

This is about life and death! Everyone should be vaccinated and prove it for the safety of everyone around. We’re just starting to get back to normal. We must prevent more surges.

"I work at a theatre and our patrons have told me they hope we will require proof of vaccination in order for people to be admitted to the theatre. We have been closed over a year and I want to get back to work. I am willing to provide proof of vaccination and I think everyone should be willing to do so."

"All!!!! Unfair to others and to businesses if you don't. I would not go ANYWHERE that did not require one. This includes schools!!!"

"I'm a full time supermarket employee, there already are steps in place for those who don't want to enter stores, now if unvaccinated they can still use these pick up at curb programs. Personally, I think a better way to ensure vaccination is besides needing a "passport" is to have used some of the covid stimulus money to have just paid people to receive as many shots as needed."

Vaccination passports are NOT an invasion of privacy! It is the right thing to do to ensure that as a people and a country we can safely move about the world without fear of infection. Unfortunately it is necessary precisely due to the stupidity of others and their failure to take responsibility for the greater good of all.

Those in favor of vaccine certification weren't much concerned about somebody hacking their health records. Over 90 percent said they had no privacy concerns regarding the deployment of vaccine passports.

"I am a huge data privacy advocate, but society health is more important as this affects not just the individual but everyone around them," wrote one reader who is pro-certification.

Another scoffed at the notion of any kind of privacy in a world forever online: "Eff privacy concerns, I want to be safe. I spend all day leaving a digital footprint, so I don't care about your freedom....if you want to be free, you don't have to engage in the economy..."

Most of those — 78.6 percent — who opposed vaccine passports were convinced that their private data would be compromised.

"I understand the privacy concerns, but unfortunately a decision not to get vaccinated impacts everyone in that person's sphere. I don't agree that vaccines should be mandatory, but I do believe that if a person chooses not to get vaccinated then that person should expect that for the time being certain privileges in large public settings will not be offered to them. I don't think it is unreasonable to expect that. Every decision has consequences, and this one should be no different."

If the question about vaccine passports is one hinged between the common good and personal liberty, as the survey results suggest, then there'll be no easy answer.

...or maybe, as one reader suggested, there is, and it's already been written:

"Read the Book of Revelation and study it in the Greek. We are at the end of days..."