As restrictions have continued to lift, a number of constituents have contacted me to share their views on the potential introduction of ‘vaccine passports’ to minimise the spread of coronavirus as venues reopen.
As I wrote earlier this year, the question of using vaccine passports domestically (vaccine certification is now widely required when travelling abroad) is a difficult and emotive one, and I appreciate the concerns raised about introducing double vaccination entry requirements for public venues. In principle, the success of the vaccination programme should enable us to go about our business without excessive government control, taking personal responsibility for the risks we run. However, while transmission is still high, in crowded, enclosed settings vaccine status certification may well be necessary to reduce the spread of the virus.
Overall, my view is that it is right that measures are in place to identify those who might be more likely to spread the virus if they are in public - and voluntarily attended - settings, particularly those which choose not to continue with social distancing measures.
I will closely examine the Government’s proposal on mandatory certification when it is published.
