Recently, former U.S. President Donald Trump (Trump), while affirming the COVID-19 vaccine, also emphasized that people should not be forced to receive the virus vaccine.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump (Trump), while affirming the COVID-19 vaccine, also stressed that people should not be forced to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
In an interview with the New York Post on Thursday (April 22), Trump said, “The vaccine is a good thing, and people should take advantage of it.” But he also made clear that “no one should be forced (to get vaccinated)” because Americans “have our freedom.
“But I strongly recommend this (vaccination),” Trump continued.
“I’m in favor of this vaccine.” He said, “It’s one of the great achievements, a real miracle.”
Trump said, “We are saving thousands of lives around the world.” “We’re saving an entire country.”
Trump told New York Post columnist Michael Goodwin in a phone call that he received the first dose of the vaccine before he left the White House in January and the second dose in Florida, where he now lives. Former first lady Melania Trump (Melania Trump) has also been vaccinated, and neither has had any adverse reactions.
He did not disclose which of the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccines he received.
Trump said, “Not even a little bit of soreness in my arm.”
The vaccine passport system has come under criticism recently. Some pro-civil liberties advocates have speculated that a vaccine passport system would divide society into two categories: those who are vaccinated and those who are not.
In late March, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also expressed concern about such a proposal, saying it would likely violate Americans’ right to privacy, i.e., there would be a digital system of a centralized nature. The group noted that people without smartphones and without apps could still be excluded from certain services even if they say they have been vaccinated.
At least seven other states across the country have implemented vaccine passport bans through executive orders or bills, in Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, South Dakota and Utah.
To date, no U.S. federal agency has mandated the use of a vaccine passport type system. New York State recently launched its “Excelsior” app as a pass to some sports fields and events. However, the app is not mandated by any state law.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Emergencies Committee met for the seventh time on April 15 on the outbreak and issued a statement on April 19 synthesizing the meeting, saying that if countries were to mandate vaccine passports for international travelers, it would deepen global inequalities.
The WHO said evidence that vaccines reduce transmission is still limited, and with the ongoing global inequity in vaccine distribution, it believes that travelers should not be required to show their vaccine passports as a condition of entry.
On Wednesday (April 21), aviation industry leaders told members of Congress at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation that while the introduction of vaccine passports could help restore consumer confidence in flying and restart air travel, such certificates should only be a temporary measure presented voluntarily (by passengers) and should not be mandatory for others to show proof of vaccination.
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