Missouri joins other states not planning to mandate vaccine passports
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Gov. Mike Parson announced Missouri will not mandate coronavirus vaccine passports, joining several other states in opposition of the credentials.
The passport would be used to show confirmation that a person has been vaccinated against the coronavirus.
During a Fox News interview, Parson said, "we’re never gonna do that in the state of Missouri. We’re never gonna have a mandate, a vaccine passport in this state."
However, Parson said Missourians are welcome to carry a vaccine card.
"That’s called freedom, it’s called individual rights. But it’s not the government's place to do that," he said.
Rep. Richard Brown, a Democrat from Jackson County who represents South Kansas City said the vaccine cards could be helpful but should not be mandated.
"I agree why and understand we need to have vaccine passports for public health and public safety I think it's a good idea but I don't think mandatory vaccine passports is a good idea," Brown said.
The Biden administration has said it does not plan to require Americans to carry a vaccination credential.
Some government officials have raised privacy concerns over the concept of a vaccine passport saying that it could keep too much private, health data in one place.
Leaders in several other states like Florida, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee and Nebraska have also shown said they will not mandate vaccine passports.
Since last week, GOP governors from Texas and Florida have signed executive orders prohibiting various agencies from requiring the use of vaccine passports.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he was opposed to state-mandated vaccine passports on Tuesday. And Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said in a tweet last month that Nebraska won't use vaccine passports or participate in the program.
