Saturday, December 18, 2021

UK government flip-flops on vaccine passes

England vaccine passport plans ditched, Sajid Javid says | BBC News - Marie Jackson:

September 12, 2021 - "Plans to introduce vaccine passports for access into nightclubs and large events in England will not go ahead, the health secretary has said.... No 10 stressed the plan – which had been set to be introduced at the end of this month – would be kept 'in reserve' should it be needed over autumn or winter.... The Night Time Industries Association ... welcomed Sunday's announcement, saying it hoped businesses could now plan with some certainty and start to rebuild the sector. The Music Venue Trust, which aims to protect grassroots venues, also said it was glad vaccine passports would not be going ahead, describing them as 'problematic'....

"Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, Mr Javid said: 'We just shouldn't be doing things for the sake of it or because others are doing, and we should look at every possible intervention properly.' He said he had 'never liked the idea of saying to people you must show your papers' to 'do what is just an everyday activity.... We've looked at it properly and, whilst we should keep it in reserve as a potential option, I'm pleased to say that we will not be going ahead with plans for vaccine passports,' he added."

"The move to scrap vaccine passports appears to be a sharp U-turn by the government. On the same TV programme last week, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said the end of September was the right time to start the vaccine passport scheme for sites with large crowds because all over-18s would have been offered two jabs by then and it was the 'best way' to keep the night industry open."

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-58535258


Brits will need three jabs for a vaccine passport: Javid says booster shots will be needed for passes once Brits have had a 'reasonable chance' to get them | Daily Mail - Jack Wright & James Tapsfield: 

December 13, 2021 - "From 6am on Wednesday, people will need to show proof of two jabs or a negative lateral flow test in order to enter nightclubs and large venues. Under the new regulations, published barely 24 hours before tomorrow's vote, people could be fined £10,000 if they try to falsify a Covid pass or test result....

"Mr Javid told Parliament that it is the Government's intention to include proof of a booster jab, once all adults have had a chance to get theirs. He said: 'From Wednesday – subject to this House's approval – you'll need to show a negative lateral flow test to get into nightclubs and large events, with an exemption for the double vaccinated. Once all adults have had a reasonable chance to get their booster jab, we intend to change this exemption to require a booster dose'....

"He said it is 'misleading' to say MPs are being asked to vote on 'vaccine passports'. He told the Commons: 'The Government has been absolutely clear ... when it talks about access to nightclubs or to very large gatherings ... that the requirement is to take a free lateral flow test and make sure it's negative. And if you don't want to do that then you can prove your vaccine status. It's up to that individual. That's not a vaccine passport and the sooner we get rid of this misleading description of what the Government is proposing, the better.'.... 

"NHS Covid passes showing full vaccination or a recent negative test will be required for entry to indoor venues containing more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people, and any venue with more than 10,000 people, from Wednesday."

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10305373/Javid-warns-change-fully-vaccinated-status-New-Year.html


MPs back Covid passes in England amid large Tory rebellion | The Guardian - Heather Stewart & Aubrey Allegretti:

December 14, 2021 - "Boris Johnson has suffered a humiliating rebellion ... with 99 Conservative MPs rejecting plans for vaccine certificates.... The vaccine certificates measure passed comfortably by 369 votes to 126 – but only with the backing of Labour. The number of rebels far exceeds Johnson’s parliamentary majority of 79 – and the 56 MPs needed to trigger a vote of no confidence in his leadership. Thirty-five Tory MPs abstained though only 19 were authorised, meaning a further 16 appeared to have refused to vote – a number that included the former prime minister Theresa May. Rebel MPs suggested the final tally voting against could have been 100, suggesting at least one vote had initially been missed....

"Votes on all four Plan B measures proposed by the government passed on Tuesday night. There was a more modest rebellion on the reintroduction of mandatory mask-wearing in shops and on public transport, with 40 Conservative MPs voting against. MPs also voted to make vaccinations compulsory for NHS workers, with 61 Conservative MPs voting against.... Keir Starmer suffered his own rebellion on this issue, with 22 Labour MPs voting against, including frontbencher Rachael Maskell.... 

"Sajid Javid insisted the measure did not amount to a 'vaccine passport', saying it was 'really important to me as a point of principle that people have a range of different routes to show that they are eligible'."

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/14/covid-plan-b-mps-back-tougher-rules-face-masks-england-omicron

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