LONDON (AP) – British authorities have decided not to require COVID vaccination passports to enter nightclubs and other mass events in England, amid opposition from some of the Conservative government supporters in Parliament.
Health Minister Sajid Javid said on Sunday that the government has shelved the idea of vaccination passports for now, but could reconsider the decision if COVID-19 cases increase exponentially again.
“We have studied it well and, although we must keep it in reserve as a potential option, I am pleased to say that we are not going to go ahead with the vaccine passport plans,” Javid told the BBC.
Both the government’s vaccine minister and the culture secretary had hinted just days ago that vaccine passports would still be necessary, despite growing opposition from lawmakers.
In particular, members of the Conservative Party have opposed these passports as an unacceptable burden for businesses and a violation of the human rights of residents.
The idea of requiring people to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 result has proven uncomfortable for many in Britain, where people are generally not required to carry identification documents.
Other European countries are using similar documents showing people’s vaccination status as a way to reopen society, although the rules vary widely. Each of Germany’s 16 states has slightly different rules on what is required, but generally people are required to show a negative test, a vaccination or a certificate of recovery before they are allowed to participate in indoor dinners. , or to drink or dance.
Passes are required in France for frequenting bars, cafes, restaurants, museums and other places where the public congregate and for long-distance travel on buses, trains and airplanes. In Italy, where nightclubs have not reopened since the start of the pandemic, so-called green passes are required for indoor dining, attending a concert or for domestic travel on trains, buses, planes or ferries, although transport local is exempt.
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