‘Covid passports’ will have major implications for councils

From: Coun James Jamieson (Con), Chairman, Local Government Association.

IT is encouraging that the ongoing reduction in Covid-19 case rates, hospital admissions and deaths means we can move forward to the next step of the roadmap out of lockdown (The Yorkshire Post, April 6).

Councils are continuing to work closely with businesses to help high streets reopen safely and successfully again from April 12 and, particularly in visitor hotspots, prepare for an increase in visitors. We urge government to work closely with local government on any proposals for Covid-19 status certification.

They are likely to bring significant implications for councils, particularly with regards to licensing, enforcement and support to venues and businesses who would have to use them.

Councils can therefore provide vital insight into how the scheme can work best in practice, consider equalities implications and links to vaccine confidence.

Rapidly targeting local outbreaks will be crucial in our continuing fight against coronavirus and the expansion of testing to all adults will play a valuable part in this.

Councils will continue to use their unique knowledge and connections with their communities to reach out to areas where they are most needed.

While we all look forward with huge hope of a return to our normal way of life, the responsibility is on us all to test ourselves regularly, share our contacts on request and selfisolate when required to keep case rates as low as possible.

From: P.D. Marquis, Moorhead Terrace, Shipley.

DAVID Davis’s comments about ‘Covid passports’ must surely rank as the most profoundly stupid remarks to issue from the lips of any leading politician since Neville Chamberlain spoke of ‘peace for our time’.

Yes, the ‘passports’ would be alien to our normal way of life and no, we do not like the idea of being controlled by pieces of paper, but then we don’t much like Covid either. The difference is that Covid kills people whereas the passports could help in the battle to protect them.

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

I FAIL to see the need for vaccine passports.

Both my wife and myself have had our two jabs and have been given a small card with our names on as well as the type of vaccine and date. Surely that should be sufficient to prove that we have had the vaccine?