The government has said it will “never” introduce Covid-19 vaccine passports as a condition of accessing essential shops, public services, or trains and buses.
Four simultaneous reviews commissioned by Boris Johnson are looking at whether vaccination or immunity certificates could be needed for travel, as a condition of accessing certain businesses, or to attend large events.
While the reviews are still ongoing, the commissions released an interim report on Monday ruling out certain settings where ministers believe requiring certificates would always be inappropriate.
“The Government believes that there are some settings (such as essential public services, public transport and essential shops) where COVID-status certification should never be required, in order to ensure access for all,” the report says.
But the report conversely says Covid certification “could potentially play a role” in settings such as theatres, nightclubs, and “mass events such as festivals or sports events”.
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This would “help manage risks where large numbers of people are brought together in close proximity”, the reviews, led by Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, say.
The policy is also being considered as an alternative to social distancing in pubs and restaurants, but the government says it has not yet made a decision on the issue and will continue to engage with the hospitality industry.
The govenment says that such a certificate could be “acquired through vaccinations, testing or natural immunity”.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday afternoon Boris Johnson described the review’s interim report as “early think”.
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