PM: Vaccine passports for foreign travel ‘will be feature of our future’
VACCINE PASSPORTS for international travel will be “a feature of our life in the future”, Boris Johnson has said.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that documents providing proof that someone has received a coronavirus jab “raise all sorts of issues”.
He told a Downing Street press conference: “It’s a novel one for our country. We’ve never had this type of question before within the domestic UK economy, within our own home market.
“Though clearly vaccine passports as an idea are not new when it comes to international travel.
“There’s been certificates for things like yellow fever and other diseases in the past, and I’m sure that that will be a feature of our life in the future.”
Mr Johnson said there are “some complexities” regarding how such a scheme will affect unvaccinated people such as children and those “not medically able” to receive a jab.
He added: “We’re looking at what they’re thinking of in other countries and we’ll be making sure we report back to everybody as soon as we possibly can.”
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove is heading up a Government review into “Covid status certificates”.
It is understood he is considering the possibility of the NHS coronavirus app featuring a digital health passport, which would carry details of vaccinations and negative test results.
Proof of a recent negative coronavirus test or having been vaccinated could then be used to attend events held within the UK or to gain entry to foreign countries, depending on border rules.
The news comes after reports that the UK will discuss with the EU the bloc’s proposals to create a vaccine passport that could allow people to travel more freely in time for the summer holidays.
The EU-wide “digital green pass” would provide proof a person has been vaccinated, as well as test results for those not yet inoculated and information on recovery for people who have had coronavirus. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the proposals for the pass, which will “respect data protection, security and privacy”, will be set out this month.