Britain to test ‘coronavirus status certifications’
Opponents say plan poses ethical questions
LONDON — Britain is planning to test a series of measures including “coronavirus status certifications” over the coming weeks to see if they can allow people to safely return to mass gatherings at sports arenas, nightclubs and concerts.
People attending a range of events this month and in May, including a club night and key FA Cup soccer matches, will need to be tested both before and after. The trials will also gather evidence on how ventilation and different approaches to social distancing could enable large events to go ahead.
Officials are also developing plans to test out passports that are expected to show if a person has received a vaccine, has recently tested negative for the virus, or has some immunity because of having had coronavirus in the previous six months.
The issue of vaccine passports has been a hotly debated topic around the world. Many disagree over what the right balance is between a person’s right to medical privacy and the collective right of people in groups not to be infected with a dangerous disease by others.
Some critics also say such vaccine passports will enable discrimination against poor people and impoverished nations that do not have ready access to vaccines.
Authorities in Britain have said the passes could involve the use of an app or paper certificates for those who don’t have access to the digital option.
But U.K. Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston stressed to reporters that “the earliest pilots almost certainly won’t involve any elements of certification” but will involve testing before and after the events.
“We are doing everything we can to enable the reopening of our country so people can return to the events, travel and other things they love as safely as possible, and these reviews will play an important role in allowing this to happen,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
Cabinet minister Michael Gove, who has led the task force responsible for drawing up the plans, acknowledged that vaccine passports raised “a host of practical and ethical questions” which needed to be resolved before any wider rollout.
Officials said the trial events include the FA Cup semifinal at London’s Wembley Stadium later this month with a crowd of 4,000 in a stadium that seats 90,000, and the event’s final on May 15, with a crowd of 21,000.
The news about the trials came as U.K. businesses including pubs, restaurants, nonessential shops and hairdressers prepared to welcome back customers as restrictions ease in England. Officials say 47 percent of the country’s population has had a first vaccine dose and more than 5 million people in the U.K. have received their second shot.
Johnson’s government is also expected to set out its approach to easing restrictions on international travel next week.