Covid ‘passport app’ could allow socialising

A MOBILE phone app could serve as a Covid ‘passport’ to enter pubs and theatres under plans being considered by Boris Johnson.

The Prime Minister is examining proposals that would allow businesses, hospitals or schools to demand proof that someone has been vaccinated – or has tested negative for the virus.

One idea would see the existing NHS app used for the Test and Trace scheme evolve into a ‘Covid-19 status certificate’. This could display both vaccination and test information.

Ministers had denied for weeks that such a scheme was being considered for anything other than foreign travel.

However, Mr Johnson has now tasked Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, with leading a review into so-called Covid passports as part of the road map for lifting lockdown restrictions in England. The Prime Minister acknowledged yesterday there were ‘deep and complex issues’ surrounding status certificates.

Mr Johnson confirmed that a ‘proper review’ of the issue would be led by Mr Gove, ‘who will be getting the best scientific, moral, philosophical, ethical viewpoints on it and will work out a way forward’.

He added: ‘The fervent libertarians will reject it... but other people will think there’s a case for it.’

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday she would ‘never support something that deepens social inequalities’ or ‘took away people’s civil liberties’ based on their medical history.

However, she told Holyrood: ‘We should think properly, without closing our minds at this stage, to what a vaccine passport or certificate might offer us.’

Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group, said: ‘Vaccine passports have the potential to be extremely discriminatory and invasive of personal privacy.’

The results of Mr Gove’s review are expected before June 21.