KTLA

Orange County won’t require COVID-19 vaccine ‘passport’ following backlash

Juan Carlos Guerrero, 62 holds his second shot reminder card as he speaks to a healthcare worker after having received a dose of the Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine on March 17, 2021, at the Miami-Dade County Tropical Park vaccination site in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

When Orange County announced last week that it would be starting a vaccine “passport” pilot program this month, it caused uproar among some residents who believe it would encroach on their freedom.

The announcement came amid a national conversation over potential government-issued vaccine passports, which the state and federal government aren’t requiring.


About 200 residents showed up to speak at an Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday to voice their opposition to the county’s program. Orange County Health Care Agency Director Clayton Chau and the supervisors sought to allay their concerns before the public comment period.

Chau said the county isn’t requiring a vaccine passport, but the agency is planning to offer a digital vaccination record for residents who request it. The record will likely be in the form of a scannable QR code in the Othena app, which the county has used for scheduling coronavirus testing and COVID-19 vaccinations.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.