Gert-Jan Segers during parliamentary debate: ‘The use of corona tickets must be finite’ | Inland

Segers asks VVD MP Judith Tielen whether the corona tickets are still justified in the ‘endemic phase’ with which visitors to cafés, culture or sports competitions must prove that they have been vaccinated, tested or cured. Tielen points out that we are not yet in the phase where corona is under control and is a normal part of our lives. In an endemic phase, many people still get sick from a virus, but the number of infections and sick people is no longer problematic.

“In an endemic phase, not all measures are appropriate anymore,” says Segers. “We also have to watch out for people’s freedom, have an eye for proportionality.” The admission ticket was introduced as a temporary measure, which, according to Segers, is no longer proportional.

Tielen notes that with a record number of infections, we are not yet in the endemic phase. “We’re not at the endgame yet.” She therefore does not want to exclude any means yet.

In the meantime, there may also be practical problems with the corona pass. From February, it is only valid for nine months after full vaccination or a booster. However, young people are not eligible for that extra shot.

Long-term

According to the SP and the PVV, the corona pass cannot be a long-term solution in any case, especially now that it does not appear to work so well against the transfer of the more contagious omicron variant.

The cabinet will keep the corona pass up for the time being for the catering industry, theaters, cinemas, events and for the public at sports competitions. The plan to introduce 2G in some places, whereby the option to test expires, has been shelved for the time being. The same applies to the introduction of the corona pass in the workplace.

Research by TU Delft, UMC Utrecht and ErasmusMC has recently shown that the introduction of 2G does not make much sense to prevent infections and that the corona pass in its current form (3G) also has a limited effect. Minister Kuipers (Public Health) said that the pass does have a ‘damping effect’.

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