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Are Covid-19 Passports Necessary – Or Is This ‘Checkpoint Britain’?

Controversial Covid-19 Passports seem set to be trialled at events in Britain within weeks. The Daily Telegraph today revealed that the Prime Minister is determined to ram through his plans for vaccine passports.  Several travel companies have already indicated that vaccine passports will be required for international journeys and holidays – and now it appears that they will have a major role to play at home as well. According to the Telegraph, pilot schemes will begin as soon as work is completed on an updated version of the NHS Covid app. This will allow users to prove they have been vaccinated. These Covid passports are being planned for events including the FA Cup Final, the World Snooker Championship and the Brit Awards according to today’s Telegraph. A further series of theatres, stadiums and venues are also being lined up to pilot the controversial scheme.

Yesterday the Prime Minister indicated that Covid-19 passports would definitely have a role to play when international travel resumes, saying.  ‘On the issue of vaccine certification, there’s definitely going to be a world in which international travel will use vaccine passports.’ These certificates issued through the NHS app would provide proof that people have either been vaccinated, tested negative or have developed natural immunity. The Prime Minister said yesterday that it could give ‘maximum confidence’ to businesses and customers.

This morning (02.04.2021) Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said such documents could be a way of getting people back to ‘doing the things they love’.

However, more than 70 Tory, Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs have criticised Boris Johnson over his plans for vaccine certificates amid warnings that they risk creating a ‘checkpoint Britain’. Sir Graham Brady, who chairs the influential 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, this morning said: ‘COVID-status certification would be divisive and discriminatory. With high levels of vaccination protecting the vulnerable and making transmission less likely, we should aim to return to normal life, not to put permanent restrictions in place.’

More details about Covid-9 Passports may be announced by the Prime Minister on his briefing to the nation on Monday 5th April when he gives news whether holidays abroad this Summer will be possible, a week ahead of the date the government’s Global Travel Taskforce is due to report

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