No Plans For Domestic Vaccine Passport In N.B.

New Brunswick has no plans to issue a domestic COVID-19 vaccine passport, according to the province’s health minister.

Earlier this week, the prime minister said it would be up to each province to decide whether they would issue domestic vaccine passports.

Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said to her knowledge, New Brunswick is not considering it at this time.

“I believe that we have a pretty good relationship with our partners across this country and I think that Canada is a leader in the world for getting our population vaccinated,” Shephard said during a news conference Wednesday.

“I think that we can do without a vaccine passport on a domestic level.”

But what does this mean if you are travelling to another province that may require proof of vaccination?

Shephard said you can take your vaccine certificate with you or sign up for online COVID-19 immunization records in the coming weeks.

On Monday, the province announced that immunization information is expected to be available through the MyHealthNB portal by the end of July. More details will be provided in the coming weeks.

The health minister was also asked whether New Brunswick businesses will be able to ask customers or employees for proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Shephard said discussions are ongoing with Public Health and the Department of Public Safety.

“I think that private businesses certainly have a good bit of latitude but I don’t know that there’ll be any directives from government that will address this,” she said.

The question is one that is on the minds of many as the province inches closer to the green phase and the lifting of all restrictions.