White House rules out federal COVID-19 vaccine database

WASHINGTON

The White House ruled out any federal coronavirus vaccine database on Thursday even as officials warned against the proliferation of counterfeit vaccination cards.

Jeff Zients, US President Joe Biden's COVID-19 response coordinator, said "there are a number of ways" in which vaccinated individuals can show they got the jab amid mounting vaccine mandates from employers and state and local governments.

He maintained, however, "there will be no federal vaccination database," noting that vaccination information is held at the state and local levels.

"Any system that is developed in the private sector or elsewhere must meet key standards, including affordability, being available both digitally and on paper, and importantly protecting people's privacy and security," he told reporters during a virtual news conference.

Zients said the administration is aware of some fraud related to fake vaccination cards being advertised on social media and e-commerce, but said the practice is "not widespread."

"I will remind everyone that it’s a crime, and the Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services, is investigating these schemes," he said.

Successive private sector employers and government agencies have been mandating staff be fully vaccinated against the virus amid a growing number of infections and hospitalization tied to the highly-transmissible delta variant.

More than 90% of counties in the US are experiencing high or substantial coronavirus transmission, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Florida and Texas account for 40% of new hospitalizations in the US while Florida has had more cases in the past week than the 30 states with the lowest case rates combined, said Zients.