Tech company develops microchip implanted in the body that stores a COVID-19 vaccine passport so it's 'always accessible'



There have been rumors that a COVID-19 passport in the form of a microchip implanted into the body would likely be developed, but that speculation was widely dismissed as a "conspiracy theory." However, the conspiracy theory now appears to be close to reality after a tech company touted a microchip that is implanted into the body that can serve as a COVID-19 vaccine passport.

For years, Swedish start-up Epicenter has specialized in implanting microchips the size of grains of rice into the body that can act as key cards to open doors, public transportation passes, or be a credit card. Metro reported, "According to digital cultures researcher Moa Petersen, around 6,000 people in the country have so far had a chip inserted in their hands."

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Stockholm-based Epicenter has worked on developing an implantable microchip that can be used as a coronavirus vaccine passport.

"A start-up hub in Sweden has showcased a new use for its microchip implants: your Covid-19 vaccination passport," the South China Morning Post reported. "The company Epicenter plans to market the versatility of the technology it spent years developing. The chips use Near-field communication (NFC), which can communicate with any NFC-capable smartphone. The company says the procedure is entirely reversible."

Hannes Sjoblad – Epicenter's "Chief Disruption Officer" – demonstrated the subdermal implant that offered COVID-19 vaccination certification in the SCMP video.

Beep boop beep: Your vaccination record has been verified pic.twitter.com/KQgtC1vsPR
— South China Morning Post (@South China Morning Post) 1639760402

"Implants are very versatile technology that can be used for many different things, and right now it is very convenient to have COVID passport always accessible on your implant," Sjoblad told Ruptly last week.

"In case your phone runs out of battery, it’s always accessible to you," he continued. "So of course, that’s how we use this technology today, next year we are going to use it for something else."

There was no shortage of reactions to the report on the implantable microchip COVID-19 vaccine passport.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) commented on the microchip COVID-19 vaccine passport, "Hey, remember when this was a conspiracy?"

Author Bryan Sharpe wrote, "Mark of the Beast."

Ryan Grim – D.C. bureau chief at The Intercept – asked, "Is this parody or real? Lord."

Host Jesse Lee Peterson responded, "Can't wait til I become a robot!"

Journalist Max Blumenthal noted, "The 'conspiracy theorists' were right again."

YouTube personality Casey Neistat replied, "Just today I was bitching about how stupid paper vaccination cards are and asking for an easier solution.. but this is ahhh… not really what I was thinking."

Young Americans for Liberty tweeted, "It's just 6 feet. It's just a mask. It's just 15 days to slow the spread. It's just a lockdown. It's just a vaccine mandate. It's just a microchip implanted in your arm."

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Biden administration working with companies to develop 'vaccine passports' to track vaccinated Americans



The Biden administration has partnered with companies to develop a "vaccine passport," which would track Americans who have been vaccinated for COVID-19, and give them access to businesses, events, and travel.

"The Biden administration and private companies are working to develop a standard way of handling credentials — often referred to as 'vaccine passports' — that would allow Americans to prove they have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus as businesses try to reopen," the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

"The effort has gained momentum amid President Joe Biden's pledge that the nation will start to regain normalcy this summer and with a growing number of companies — from cruise lines to sports teams - saying they will require proof of vaccination before opening their doors again," the report stated.

"The administration's initiative has been driven largely by arms of the Department of Health and Human Services, including an office devoted to health information technology, said five officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the effort," the report claimed.

The report revealed that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will assist with the vaccine passport rollout. The Washington Post claimed the CDC is already working with the World Health Organization in developing "digital vaccination certificates."

Earlier this month, New York launched its coronavirus vaccine passport program called the "Excelsior Pass," which was developed by IBM. As TheBlaze reported, the Excelsior Pass would allow New Yorkers to show an electronic passport on their phone in the form of a unique QR code that is scanned by businesses to confirm COVID-19 vaccinations or recent negative COVID tests before they will be permitted to enter theaters, stadiums, or other businesses. The Excelsior Pass was first tested during a Brooklyn Nets game at the Barclays Center.

Since at least November of last year, the airline industry has been exploring the implementation of a "digital passport" that would contain health information of travelers, including if they were vaccinated for coronavirus or not. The proposed health passport would "manage and verify the secure flow of necessary testing or vaccine information among governments, airlines, laboratories and travelers," the International Air Transport Association said.

Several international organizations and large businesses, including the World Economic Forum, have begun "developing smartphone apps or systems for individuals to upload details of their COVID-19 tests and vaccinations, creating digital credentials that could be shown in order to enter concert venues, stadiums, movie theaters, offices, or even countries," according to a CNN report from December.

A recent Pew Research survey found that 30% of Americans "probably" or "definitely" don't plan on getting a coronavirus vaccine.

"If it became a government mandate, it would go down a dark road very quickly," warned Brian Castrucci, who leads the Bethesda, Md.-based de Beaumont Foundation. "It becomes a credential. It becomes a 'needing your papers,' if you will. That could be dangerous — and it could turn off people."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) blasted the idea of vaccine passports.

"I just want to make very clear in Florida, we are not doing any vaccine passports, DeSantis said earlier this month. "All those experts said that it was a bad idea. I think it's a bad idea, and so that will not happen. And so folks should get vaccinated, if they want to, we'll obviously provide that, but under no circumstances will the state be asking you to show proof of vaccination, and I don't think private companies should be doing that either."

New York rolls out pilot COVID-19 passport program for entering public venues



New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Tuesday announced a pilot program testing a new COVID-19 electronic passport for entering public venues as the state works to slowly reopen.

The so-called "Excelsior Pass," which uses "proven, secure technology," according to the governor's office, would allow New Yorkers to flash an electronic passport on their phone to confirm their COVID vaccinations or recent negative COVID tests before entering theaters, stadiums, or other businesses.

Cuomo's new pilot program will be used for upcoming events at Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center.

The Excelsior Pass, which was developed with IBM, was first tested during a Brooklyn Nets game at Barclays on Saturday and a New York Rangers game Tuesday night.

How does it work?

Much like airline boarding passes people can access via an app on their phones, the mobile Excelsior Pass lets users print out their passes or keep them on their phones using a "Wallet App," the governor's office said. Each pass has a unique QR code that venues can scan to get a person's COVID health status.

Image source: Office of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Image source: Office of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Image source: Office of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Image source: Office of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo

"As we begin reopening the valves on different sectors of our economy, we are putting guidelines in place to ensure individuals attending events involving larger gatherings have tested negative for COVID or have been vaccinated to avoid an outbreak of the virus," Cuomo said. "The Excelsior Pass will play a critical role in getting information to venues and sites in a secure and streamlined way, allowing us to fast-track the reopening of these businesses and getting us one step closer to reaching a new normal."

What about privacy concerns? Well, don't worry about all that, because, as the governor's office claims:

Robust privacy protections are woven throughout the digital health pass solution, giving individuals a secure, verifiable and trusted way to maintain control of their personal health information using an encrypted digital smartphone wallet or printed credential. Each participant will be able to determine if they would like to use it -and if so, what passes they wish to use for which purpose -all without sharing their underlying personal data. User data is always kept completely confidential, and participation is voluntary. The QR code only informs the venue if a pass is valid or invalid.

New Yorkers can expect more pressure to use the Excelsior Pass as venues continue to try to reopen — though currently only venues with at least 10,000-person capacities can reopen, and at just 10% capacity, the New York Post reported.

Qantas airlines says if you don't have a COVID vaccination, you probably won't be able to fly



International travelers likely will not be permitted to fly Qantas airlines if those travelers do not get a coronavirus vaccine when available, according to various reports.

What are the details?

According to a Tuesday report from the New York Times, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said that the airline will likely require its passengers to show proof of coronavirus vaccine when the time comes in order to travel internationally.

Joyce made the announcement during a Monday interview.

“We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travelers, that we will ask people to have the vaccination before they get on the aircraft," Joyce said.

He added that he is looking for ways to electronically verify that aircraft passengers have received the vaccination before being able to embark on an international flight.

"We will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft," he insisted. "Whether you need that domestically, we will have to see what happens with COVID-19 in the market. But certainly, for international visitors coming out and people leaving the country, we think that's a necessity."

According to Fox News, Air New Zealand and Korean Air are both considering similar mandates for international travel.

The BBC also reported that Joyce said such a move would be necessary in a COVID-19 world.

"I think that's going to be a common thing talking to my colleagues in other airlines around the globe," he explained.

In August, Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was likely that successful vaccines would be as mandatory as possible.

"There are always exemptions for any vaccine on medical grounds, but that should be the only basis," he said of any effective inoculations.

On Monday, the International Air Transport Association said that the key to reopening borders across the world could lie in a "digital health pass" that may include vaccination information.

"Today borders are double locked. Testing is the first key to enable international travel without quarantine measures," Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's director general and CEO, said in a statement.

"The second key is the global information infrastructure needed to securely manage, share and verify test data matched with traveler identities in compliance with border control requirements," he added. "That's the job of IATA Travel Pass. We are bringing this to market in the coming months to also meet the needs of the various travel bubbles and public health corridors that are starting operation."