Immunity Passports

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“With the roll out of vaccines about to start the QCCL expresses its concerns about proposals that Australians maybe required to prove they have been vaccinated against COVID19 to access basic services.” says QCCL President Michael Cope

”Firstly the government’s stated policy is that vaccination is voluntary. However, vaccination is no longer voluntary if you can’t go to the supermarket without being able to prove that you have been vaccinated” says Mr Cope

Secondly such a blanket requirement could breach the Disability Discrimination Act and equivalent provisions in the State Anti Discrimination Act.

Thirdly it could create a two level society - those who have been vaccinated and those who have not.

“Finally there is a real risk that the creation of any form of immunity passport could pave the way for a national or even global identity system. An idea which must be rejected by any society that wants to protect its basic rights.”

“Once being vaccinated becomes a requirement, others' need to verify the record. That's when it becomes a pass. And that's when it becomes an identity document. And once you have to use it to access services in the public and private sectors, in multiple countries (i.e. travel), then we are approaching a global identity document needed to for you to be able to live.”

In contexts where an identity scheme is already in place, i.e. passports for international travel, verifying a vaccination requirement may be acceptable in relation to places where there is free and universal access to effective vaccines. We have in mind here the rights of relatives of Australians to travel to visit them here.

We know that identity systems exclude people, with individuals and communities unable to access services, and this exclusion will be compounded by exclusion from vaccination schemes.

“The restrictions on civil liberties we have endured during the pandemic have been justified on the basis that are needed to protect our hospital system. To date all vaccines that have passed phase 3 trials prevent serious illness and death and a number are proven to do so against all strains of Covid. While that continues to be the case, once all who want to be vaccinated have been there is in our view no justification for continuing restrictions on civil liberties.”

“In 2019 902 people died of the flu and 3915 were hospitalised in this country. Those figures would no doubt be worse without a vaccine. But they are not used to justify large scale civil liberties restrictions. Effective vaccines for covid19 must have the same consequence” says Mr Cope.

For further information contact Michael Cope President QCCL on 07 3223 5939 during office hours and at all times on 0432 847 154 17 February 2021

see Review of the 2019 influenza season in Australia https:/www.immunisationcoalition.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/1-Barr-ASM-2020-presentation.pdf