Prairie State Wire

With opposition picking up steam, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has quickly pulled the plug on his vaccination passport idea.

Pritzker now says Chicago will offer the so-called “Vax Pass” for summer events as a way of encouraging more residents to take the shot for COVID-19.

“What we are looking at is making sure that people have available to them some sort of verification if they want it, only at their own behest,” Pritzker told Illinois Policy Institute.

In late April, Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady struck a tone similar to Pritzker’s vaccination passport idea when she touched on a plan that would offer younger residents access to events like concerts and other summer outings if they were to get vaccinated. The idea quickly garnered the support of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who added the enticements are aimed at the city’s lagging number of black residents getting shots.

“So we really need – particularly (ages) 18 to 44, where we’re seeing the lowest uptake – we need you to get vaccinated,” Lighfoot added. “Do it, of course, for yourself; but for your family, for your grandparents,” Lightfoot said.

Pritzker’s approach is in complete contrast to the one being taken by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who recently posted on Twitter, “Today I issued an executive order prohibiting the use of so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports. The Legislature is working on making permanent these protections for Floridians and I look forward to signing them into law soon.”

More details about Illinois’ “Vax Pass” plans are expected to be made public over the next several weeks with the passes being issued sometime in May.