Despite the Biden administration's repeated assurances that it will not impose a vaccine passport, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Friday the United States is "looking very closely" at requiring proof of a COVID-19 shot for international travelers.
Majorkas was asked in an interview with "Good Morning America" whether or not vaccine passports might be implemented for people entering or exiting the country.
Currently, U.S. citizens must obtain a negative COVID-19 test to reenter the country after a trip abroad. Non-citizens are allowed to travel to the United States, with exception of citizens of the 26 countries in the Schengen area of Europe, the U.K., Ireland, China, Iran, South Africa and India.
Florida's Ron DeSantis is among the Republican governors who have signed legislation banning private businesses from requiring proof of vaccination to customers.
Majorkas said "everyone should get vaccinated."
"We've got vaccination centers everywhere, no more than a few miles from everyone's home, and it's so important to get that vaccine – make one safe, make one's loved ones and friends safe around you," he said.
But Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Friday that while the COVID vaccines have "given us a lot of freedom, there is "a real potential for government overreach."
"I don't believe the government should force anyone to get the vaccine,' he wrote on Twitter.
The European Union announced in April it will reopen its borders to American tourists this summer, but visitors will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
1 comment:
What has this Department ever done for USA? Not much as far as most know, and treating Citizens like Hitler's experiments won't be allowed, in my opinion!
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