- As the Covid Delta variant spreads throughout the U.S., more colleges and universities are requiring students to provide proof of vaccinations to personally attend classes
- Across the internet, a cottage industry has sprung up to accommodate people not wishing to get vaccinated, for either personal or religious reasons
- Some college students have taken to social media platforms, such as Twitter and TikTok, to voice their outrage at other students using fraudulent vaccine cards
WASHINGTON D.C.: As the Covid Delta variant spreads throughout the U.S., more colleges and universities are requiring students to provide proof of vaccinations to personally attend classes.
However, the new mandate has encouraged those opposed to being vaccinated to bypass the system, according to interviews with students, education and law enforcement officials.
“The United States, unlike most countries which have electronic systems in place, is basing its vaccination on a flimsy paper card,” said Benjamin Mason Meier, a global health policy professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “There need to be policies in place for accountability, to make sure that every student is operating in the collective interest of the entire campus.
Across the internet, a cottage industry has sprung up to accommodate people not wishing to get vaccinated, for either personal or religious reasons.
An Instagram account under the username, “vaccinationcards,” sells laminated COVID-19 vaccination cards for $25 each. A user on the encrypted messaging app, Telegram, offers “COVID-19 Vaccine Cards Certificates,” for as much as $200.
According to a survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education, some 675 colleges and universities now require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations, with the process for confirming vaccinations at many schools being as simple as uploading a picture of the vaccine card to their student portal.
Sellers on websites are selling COVID-19 vaccine cards, certificates and passports for around $473.49. An advertisement on the website, Buy Real Fake Passport, promises fake vaccination cards by the thousands.
In July, the U.S. Department of Justice announced its first federal criminal fraud prosecution involving a fake COVID-19 immunization and vaccination card scheme.
Requiring vaccinations to attend classes at colleges and universities has become a contentious political issue in some states. Public colleges in at least 13 states, including Ohio, Utah, Tennessee and Florida, cannot legally require vaccinations due to local legislation, but private institutions in the same states have the option.
Some college students have taken to social media platforms, such as Twitter and TikTok, to voice their outrage at other students using fraudulent vaccine cards.
But other university staff and faculty have expressed their concern.
Rebecca Williams, a research associate at UNC’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, said while she is concerned by these claims, she isn’t surprised.
“This is why I think the development of a reliable national digital vaccine passport app is very important for the sake of all the organizations and businesses that want to require proof of vaccination for employees, students, or business patrons,” Williams said.
