CNN Medical Analyst Wen to Biden: ‘We Need a National Proof of Vaccination System’ Beyond Easily Faked Cards

CNN medical contributor Dr. Leana Wen argued Wednesday on CNN’s “Newsroom” for a “national proof of vaccination system,” which she said should be more elaborate than “pieces of paper that can be easily faked.”

Anchor Ana Cabrera said, “We are learning the president’s speech tomorrow will include these announcements on mandates and testing. What do you hope these announcements are more specifically?

Wen said, “Well, I hope that President Biden will do three really important things. First is to mandate vaccinations on planes and trains, places that he has jurisdiction over. There are a lot of people who are still on the fence about getting vaccinated. If they know, they have to be vaccinated in order to travel to see friends and family, to do business travel, et cetera, that can really put them over the edge.”

She continued, “The second thing is we really need to get behind a proof of vaccination system. We know that the honor code doesn’t work. You don’t board a plane. You don’t go to the airport and say I am who I say I am. I don’t have to show you any identification. We don’t allow that, and we shouldn’t allow people to carry around pieces of paper that can be easily faked. We need a national proof of vaccination system.”

Wen added, “The third is I really hope that President Biden will explore all other avenues including tying federal funding to try to help push states that are not even allowing for schools to do mask mandates, for example. We really need to do something about that because it’s unconscionable that there are states putting kids’ lives in danger and forces them into a herd immunity experiment they didn’t sign up for.”

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