Vaccine Passports in Michigan: Schools, Sports Orgs Require Proof for Testing Opt-Out

Vaccine passports are now effectively in use in Michigan, based on an answer the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) gave to Breitbart News on Thursday.

WOOD TV reported earlier this week:

The state of Michigan is relaxing coronavirus restrictions for outdoor activities as more become vaccinated, lifting face mask requirements for outdoor gatherings of less than 100 people.

The newest order will go into effect May 6 and will continue through May 31, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday. …

For organized sports, routine COVID-19 [coronavirus] testing will not be required for those fully vaccinated and aren’t experiencing symptoms. Masks will still be required for contact sports. But they won’t be required for non-contact sports during outdoor practices or competitions. The state used an example of softball and baseball players still needing to wear masks when in the dugout but not when playing in the field.

Breitbart News asked MDHHS how vaccination claims would be verified — through the honor system, or by requiring a player or parent to divulge personal medical information in order to take the field.

“Schools and athletic organizations will be responsible for confirming this information,” Lynn Sutfin, department spokeswoman, said.

A parent who has an athlete in Forest Hills Public Schools said she received the following message:

Due to the newest MDHHS order, fully vaccinated student athletes do not need to participate in the mandatory COVID testing. In order for us to exempt an athlete from testing, we are asking athletes that are fully vaccinated and 14 days from last vaccine to bring a photocopy of the documentation showing they are fully vaccinated to testing on Friday, May 7. We will keep the photocopy of the documentation for our records, and the athlete will no longer be required to test.

The parent said it made her “extremely upset at the discrimination and the hypocrisy since having the vaccine doesn’t mean you can’t get (the virus).”

“Individuals have a right to privacy to their medical information — information that they might not want others to know,” state Rep. Sue Allor (R), a sponsor of one of the bills to ban vaccine passports in the state, said.

“The possibility of a person’s medical information being compromised is a very real threat. We have seen countless instances of sensitive information being exposed both before and during COVID-19. Bad actors will go to great lengths to steal people’s information,” she added.

“We don’t know who is developing the technology or the safeguards in place to protect such information. That’s very concerning,” Allor said.

Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on Saturdays — download full podcast episodes. Follow him on Parler.