New York on Friday officially launched an application that can be used as a COVID-19 vaccine passport. Dubbed the “Excelsior Pass,” the pass can be used to quickly and securely present digital proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results. Officials compared the application to a mobile airline boarding pass, and envision it being used at major stadiums and arenas, weddings, and small businesses. “New Yorkers have proven they can follow public health guidance to beat back COVID, and the innovative Excelsior Pass is another tool in our new toolbox to fight the virus while allowing more sectors of the economy to reopen safely and keeping personal information secure,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, said in a statement. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Officials say the pass is the first of its kind in the nation. Sports fans in New York City …