New law should put an end to Covid passports in São Paulo, despite vetoes

The sanction of the governor of Sao Paulo, Tarcisio de Freitas (Republicans), on Wednesday (Feb. 15), to the bill that prohibits the requirement of proof of vaccination against Covid-19 for access to public and private places in the state was not integral.

But even though the governor vetoed six of the nine articles of the approved bill, the so-called “health passport” or “vaccine passport” should, in fact, end in the state of São Paulo.

In practice, only health professionals will continue to require the vaccine passport. This is because, with the partial sanction of the law, the governor also revoked decree No. 66.421/2022, which required proof of vaccination for public officials.

On Thursday night (Feb. 16), Tarcisio published a clarification about the repeal of this decree on social networks.

According to him, public servants’ accountability processes related to lack of vaccination will be filed with the measure.

In the post, the governor took the opportunity to respond to a follower who questioned him about the possible continuity of the requirement for immunization against Covid-19 in schools. “They do not continue,” Tarcisio replied.

To Gazeta do Povo, the former state deputy Janaina Paschoal, one of the bill’s authors, pointed out that she would prefer that all the detailed, disciplined situations be kept, as in the initial proposal – which would make the effects of the law clearer -.

Still, she valued the approval of the measure.

She explained that the vetoes need to be interpreted together with the governor’s justification (see below), i.e., the obligation extends only to health professionals without reaching other cases, such as public agents and students.

Several educational institutions in São Paulo demanded Covid-19 vaccination for students and even denied enrollment to those who didn’t present proof of immunization.

This, according to Janaína, is no longer possible. “I don’t see why they should continue to demand the vaccination passport. In this sense, the law is clear.”

The State University of Campinas (Unicamp) informed, also on Wednesday, that it will no longer demand vaccination from students and employees after, in the last few months, it has exhaustively demanded vaccination and even denied registrations for lack of proof of vaccination.

The University of São Paulo (USP) took the same decision on Thursday (Feb. 16). But the Paulista State University (Unesp) has not yet taken a position on the revocation of the measure.

On social networks, legislators who co-authored the bill celebrated the governor’s sanction. “Let it be clear that I am not against vaccination, but I believe that no one should be subjected to a procedure against their will,” said state deputy Colonel Telhada (PP).

The state deputies, Major Mecca (PSL) and Colonel Nishikawa (PL), also celebrate Tarcisio’s sanction in their social networks.

JUSTIFICATIONS FOR VETOES

Among the nine articles of the proposal approved in the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo (Alesp), the governor vetoed only the 1st, 2nd, and 9th.

Among the main vetoed points are the articles that established the prohibition of mandatory vaccination for health professionals, public servants, and students of basic, higher, and technical-professionalizing education.

The proposal approved in Alesp also provided that it would be up to the family to choose whether or not to vaccinate their children against Covid-19.

It also established that healthcare professionals involved in vaccinating against Covid-19 should be made aware of possible symptoms that may manifest in allergic, intolerant, or syndrome carriers due to immunization.

However, these sections were also vetoed.

Among the justifications, the governor said that remains the requirement for proof of coronavirus vaccination to health professionals because they have contact with the elderly, children, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases.

He also justified that he did not approve the requirement of notification to the Secretary of Health about cases of reaction to the first dose of the vaccine because this would require “unnecessary efforts at this point”, considering the current stage of vaccination in the state.

“The Health Secretariat and the Government of SP favor the vaccine, and we understand that it is the best instrument that unites cost and effectiveness to prevent diseases. What is under discussion is the presentation of the voucher in certain situations”, said the State Secretary of Health, Eleuses Paiva.

With information from Gazeta do Povo

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