Article by Françoise Baylis and Natalie Kofler. Issues in Science and Technology.
April 29, 2020.
Granting survivors clearance to work and travel is fraught with scientific uncertainty and ethical minefields. As COVID-19 case numbers start to plateau in various places, some governments are now focusing on how best to ease restrictions and reopen the economy. Recently, some have touted “immunity passports” for people who have survived infection with SARS-CoV-2 (the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19) and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Under this proposal, citizens deemed immune to the virus could be freed from current restrictions and allowed to return to work. In an already heavily stratified society, the introduction of immunity passports is ethically problematic. They would not only exacerbate current inequities but also create a novel layer of biological inequity—one based on a potentially ineffective measure of immunity.
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