In this edition of Wilson Center NOW we discuss the Spring 2021 issue of the Wilson Quarterly: Public Health in a Time of Pandemic with editor Richard Byrne. Also joining us are contributors Rui Zhong, Alex Long, and Joseph Dresen, who focus on what COVID-19 has taught us about our ability to battle global outbreaks and about ourselves more than a year into the pandemic.

As vaccination speeds up and governments are eager to return to a sense of normalcy, the concept of vaccine passports has gained significant traction among policymakers and business leaders. The EU Commission proposed a “digital green pass” for travel in Europe and the U.S. government is eyeing a similar approach. Vaccine passports or certificates would allow businesses and countries to better track and distinguish between those who are vaccinated and those are not, and give the fully-vaccinated more access to activities that are still deemed problematic (travel, large gatherings such as concerts, sport events, etc.). But vaccine passports are not an easy solution. They come with significant drawbacks that could exacerbate inequality and discrimination against vulnerable groups.