So will we all need a vaccine passport?
Health Secretary confirms Scots ministers are now considering controversial scheme
A VACCINE passport mobile phone app is being considered for Scotland, it has been confirmed.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said yesterday the controversial measure was under discussion but there were practical and ethical questions which still needed to be resolved.
The phone app could be used to gain access to major events, sports matches or theatres.
However, critics have raised fears that it would be ‘grossly unfair’ on those who have not been vaccinated – and could create a ‘twin-track society with one set of haves and one set of have-nots’.
The UK Government published an update yesterday which said ‘Covid status certification’ could ‘allow some freedoms to be restored more safely’.
Asked about the issue on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme yesterday, Miss Freeman said that the Scottish Government ‘will keep a watching brief’ on the issue, which is being discussed across the UK.
She said clinicians want to assess more details, adding: ‘There are practical questions here about whether or not it can in practice work, and what it means for the venue operators, for example, if they have someone who doesn’t have the necessary test result, for example, or vaccination, and what do they do in those circumstances.
‘So we don’t want to put an unnecessary burden on them.
‘But also, of course, as we said all along about vaccine certification, there are ethical and equality questions that you’ve got to work through because not everyone can get the vaccine. So we need to work these through and those discussions continue with the UK Government and with my colleagues in Wales and Northern Ireland.’
Asked about whether she was also considering the use of a mobile phone app, as is being considered in England, Miss Freeman said: ‘Yes, we are. I don’t want it to be paper. Where it is possible I want it to be digitally done.
‘I don’t want to put an unnecessary burden on our health service – on our GP practices, for example – with everyone going to them looking to get the bit of paper that says “I’ve been vaccinated” because I want those GP practices to be able to return as quickly as it is possible to delivering all the services they were before the pandemic.
‘We are currently looking at what would be the digital infrastructure you would need for any form of certification, as we work through those ethical and equality and practical questions about how it might be used and in what circumstances.’
A review published by the UK Government yesterday said Covid certification can ‘allow some freedoms to be restored more safely, for example by allowing mass events to admit more participants, increased passenger numbers and reduced border restrictions for travellers, and social distancing rules to be relaxed’.
The review said: ‘The Government believes that Covid-status certification could have an important role to play, both domestically and internationally, as a temporary measure.’
It highlighted that certification should never be required to access essential public services, public transport or essential shops.
However, it continued: ‘Equally, Covid-status certification could potentially play a role in settings such as theatres, nightclubs, and mass events such as festivals or sports events to help manage risks where large numbers of people are brought together in close proximity.
‘The Government will begin to trial Covid-status certification in certain settings, including large events.’
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader
Willie Rennie said: ‘This is grossly unfair to the millions who have not been vaccinated yet and to those who have been advised not to take the vaccine.
‘It is a massive step for the state to insist that people be vaccinated before accessing everyday services.
‘People should have a chance to have a say on this major development... The impact on young people and the risk of abuse are serious. It’s no surprise that the SNP are desperate to get their hands on a whole host more of our personal information.’
Mr Rennie said it was ‘a very slippery slope and one the First Minister denied she was contemplating just weeks ago’.
He added: This will set up a twintrack society with one set of haves and one set of have-nots.
‘Just following Boris Johnson’s lead is not a good enough excuse. This must not go ahead until the public has had a say.’
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar welcomed the idea of vaccine passports but said the international aspect needed to be prioritised.
Mr Sarwar said: ‘We need to separate the two parts around the vaccine passport discussion. One is what happens domestically, and
I think it would be good to have some kind of certification or card that recognises someone has had their first dose, recognises someone has had their second dose.
‘It could also be used to promote it on social media to encourage uptake of the vaccine but I think there’s a much more important conversation to be had about international travel.
‘As people start to come to Scotland to do tourism, to do trade, to visit family, we may want them to have certification that proves they’ve had their vaccine – the exact same way when Scots go abroad either to holiday or to work or to build relationships in trade they might be asked by other countries to provide certification and evidence that they’ve had a vaccine. So I think that international aspect needs to be really prioritised.’
‘One set of haves and one set of have-nots’