EXPLAINER: Will we need vaccine passports to do fun things?

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Ready to go out on the town before summer ends? In parts of the U.S., you might have to carry your COVID-19 vaccine card or a digital copy to get into restaurants, bars, nightclubs and outdoor music festivals.

After resisting the divisive concept of vaccine passports through most of the pandemic, a fast-growing number of private venues and some local officials are now requiring proof of immunization in public settings to reduce the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus — and to assuage wary customers.

It's unlikely the U.S. will adopt a national mandate like the one in France, which on Monday began requiring people to show a QR code proving they have a special virus pass before they can enjoy restaurants and cafes or travel across the country.

But enough venues are starting to ask for digital passes to worry some privacy advocates, who fear the trend could habituate consumers to constant tracking.

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WHO'S ASKING FOR VACCINE PASSPORTS?

New York City set the tone last week when Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city will soon require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for anyone who wants to dine indoors at a restaurant, see a performance or go to the gym. San Francisco announced an even more stringent requirement Thursday for proof of full vaccination for all customers and staff at a number of indoor activities.

A growing number of private venues, from Broadway theaters to music clubs in Minneapolis and Milwaukee, have also established their own similar rules for patrons.

“I’m a firm believer in the right for people to choose whether or not they get the vaccine,” said Tami Montgomery, owner of Dru’s Bar in Memphis, Tennessee, which has started asking for paper vaccine cards along with photo identification. “But...