Could Venues and Airlines Require Covid-19 Vaccinations for Entry?

Now that the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines have received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the “getting shots in arms” phase of the rollout is underway, it’s raising questions about what a society with a safe and effective vaccine will look like.

So far, much of the focus has been on whether employers are able to require their workers to get the Covid vaccine (in short: yes). But what about life outside of work — like air travel, or attending events at theaters, music venues, or sports arenas? Will private companies have the ability to require their customers or passengers to show proof that they were vaccinated?

Measures like these have already been in the news. In mid-November, Billboard reported that Ticketmaster was considering a policy requiring attendees to show proof of their vaccination status or recent Covid test results — something Ticketmaster says is not a policy, just an option they are “exploring.” Later in the month, Australian airline Qantas Airways announced that it would require passengers to be vaccinated against Covid-19, beginning in mid-to-late 2021. People from across the political spectrum were furious — in response, Ticketmaster’s competitors voiced concern, while some travel agencies stopped booking Qantas flights. To find out whether policies like these could become the norm — and what might happen if they did — Rolling Stone spoke with several experts in law, ethics, and public health. Here’s what to know.