Jab passports could be used, says Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon said she expects vaccine passports or certification in some form in Scotland and called for a “mature, grown-up debate” about their use.

The first minister said she was “open-minded” on the issue of vaccine passports but insisted that there needed to be public support and confidence in the idea.

Speaking at a Scottish Government coronavirus briefing, Ms Sturgeon warned that a scheme to enable people to prove their vaccine or infection status must not “gloss over the practical and ethical issues”.

But she said that the Scottish Government should look “very carefully” at the concept of vaccine passports or certification if it could help society return to normal following the coronavirus pandemic.

“I think we will see some kind of vaccine certification starting to be used,” Ms Sturgeon said.

She added: “We just don’t know for sure yet, exactly what role they will play.

“I’m not one of these people that says never, ever, ever, because I think we need to be open-minded to anything that helps us get back to normality.

“But nor am I one of these people that just says we’ll just forget some of the really complex issues that we’ve got to think through.

“Let’s have a grown-up debate about this and trial where that is appropriate, learn lessons as we go, but get to the right position through a mature, grown-up debate.”

Highlighting “ethical and equity issues”, Ms Sturgeon also said the government would have to ensure the system was fair for those who were unable to get the vaccine, due to their age or for medical reasons.

Scotland’s national clinical director, Jason Leitch, said forms of certification were already in force for overseas travel and certain industries – based on a person having already caught coronavirus or being vaccinated.

“I think Covid certification in the round will become a thing,” Mr Leitch said, although he added: “I’m sceptical about the vaccine bit being linked into pubs, bars and restaurants.”

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said on Monday the government was working to develop the tools needed for digital vaccine certificates.

Ms Freeman said she favours digital certificates over paper versions as she believes the latter would place an unnecessary burden on the health service.

A UK Government review into “Covid status certification” found they could “potentially play a role” in settings such as theatres, nightclubs and mass events, and might also be used in pubs and restaurants to reduce social distancing restrictions.

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing widespread opposition to the proposal from around 40 Tory MPs as well as scepticism from Labour.

Many red lines have been crossed during the course of the coronavirus pandemic. As Covid took hold in our communities, there was a passionate debate about whether masks should be worn or whether they were nothing more than a sticking plaster to a gaping wound.

The science in favour of wearing masks was either unclear or poorly communicated and the public mood was one of scepticism and mistrust.

Eventually that obstacle was overcome as the benefits of masks in preventing onward transmission of Covid-19 became plain.

Several months down the line and the latest line in the sand has formed around the potential introduction of Covid vaccine passports.

The argument in favour is clear. Those with the right paperwork would be able to partake in activities that others without the correct certification would not.

While the underlying concept is simple enough, the reality of vaccine passports is they are a difficult sell to the general public.

For instance, during the vaccine rollout there are those who would be automatically discriminated against due to their age or the fact they do not have underlying health conditions and have yet to receive their inoculations.

There are also those who cannot – or do not wish to – take-up the vaccine on medical grounds or due to personal beliefs.

The question then is whether those individuals should simply be excluded from aspects of society, or exemptions made.

And there are also legitimate concerns over personal freedoms and compelling a person to carry a document proving their health status.

It is an ethical minefield and Nicola Sturgeon was correct yesterday to suggest that a grownup public debate was required to properly rehearse the myriad issues that vaccine passports raise.

Lines in the sand are there to be crossed. But that should only happen when the debate has been had and views assessed.

Simply imposing vaccine passports on the general public risks a significant backlash and could ultimately be counterproductive in the battle against Covid.

CERTIFICATION: The first minister is urging a “grown-up debate” on vaccine passports.