Vaccine passport is ‘only for a year’

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A ‘TIME limit’ of less than a year could be imposed on the vaccine passport scheme to head off a Tory revolt on the issue, the Mail can reveal.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will give the green light on Monday to the development of a system of ‘vaccine certification’ as he looks to reinvigorate the economy.

Ministers believe the scheme may be essential in reopening venues such as theatres and stadiums, which rely on large crowds.

But the idea of creating a new ‘Checkpoint Britain’ has led to a fierce cross-party backlash, with 72 MPs yesterday signing a pledge to oppose the ‘divisive and discriminatory’ initiative.

There was also a huge outcry elsewhere over the plans, with Government adviser Professor Robert West warning they would give people a false sense of security.

Shami Chakrabarti, the former shadow attorney general, said that participating in local community life was ‘a fundamental right’.

The scale of the opposition presents a potential major problem for Mr Johnson if the plans require primary legislation to enact them.

Last night, a Whitehall source told the Mail ministers would try to win round Tory MPs by reassuring them any scheme would be temporary – suggesting it was likely to be no more than a year. The PM is due to make an announcement on Monday where he will address vaccine passports, the UK Government plans for holidays and the next phase of lockdown.

Government sources warned that foreign travel could be limited to no more than a handful of ‘green-rated’ countries.

Shadow business spokesman Lucy Powell said vaccine passports could result in ‘the worst of all worlds’. However, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden defended the idea of so-called ‘Covid status certification’, saying it could help people get back to ‘doing the things they love’.

Mr Dowden stressed that vaccine status is only one element of the scheme, with people also able to show a negative Covid test or prove they have had the virus.

But Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the 70-strong Covid Recovery Group of MPs, said: ‘The state has always wanted ID cards, so this scheme would be about as temporary as income tax – in other words, permanent.’

ALMOST 9,000 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in Scotland have been missed by contact tracers.

Scotland’s NHS Test and Protect scheme has failed to track down 8,940 cases since the system went live in June – 4.6 per cent of all who tested positive.

A further 14,681 contacts of people who tested positive were not traced, amounting to 2.1 per cent of the total.

It means thousands of people have not got the instruction to self-isolate, raising the risk they could have passed the virus on to others.

The figures were revealed in a report by Public Health Scotland (PHS) last week.

The Test and Protect scheme is a key part of the battle against the spread of Covid-19 in the community and vital to the easing of restrictions.

Tests are offered to anyone with symptoms, as well as teachers, secondary school pupils, NHS workers and care home staff and visitors.

The PHS report states: ‘Contact tracers, within the National Contact Tracing Centre and NHS Boards, were unable to contact a very small proportion of individuals with a positive test and their contacts.’

In Scotland, the Test and Protect system interviews those who have tested positive, and their contacts, by telephone.

They are phoned and texted three times in 24 hours and if they are not reached, a message is left to call the contact tracing service.

However, for higher risk cases, such as care home outbreaks, efforts will continue for longer.

The worrying development comes amid concerns that case numbers are plateauing.

Scottish Labour health spokesman Jackie Baillie said: ‘All eyes might be on the vaccine rollout but a robust track and trace system is as important as ever in keeping the virus under control as we begin to ease restrictions.

‘With this many positive cases falling through the cracks, it does not fill you with confidence that the system is working as it needs to.

‘The SNP cannot afford to let things slip at this crucial point.’

Yesterday’s Scottish Government figures show the number of new daily Covid cases fell from an average of 2,355 a day in early January to 413 in late February and have failed to fall significantly since then. Yesterday, there were 414 new cases.

On Thursday, Scotland’s chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith highlighted the trend, saying: ‘The number of new cases in Scotland, having fallen throughout January and February, are now plateauing rather than continuing to decline significantly.

‘As a result, hundreds of people in Scotland every day are still getting this virus. It remains very infectious and dangerous.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘As we have said previously, it is vital people engage with contact tracing teams whether they have been tested for Covid-19 or are identified as a contact.

‘Anyone taking a test will be asked to provide their name and a contact phone number. In a small minority of cases it has not been possible to reach individuals who do not respond despite repeated attempts by the contact tracing service.’

‘Falling through the cracks’