Crossing a line in the sand is never easy

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.