Covid Passports

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about covid passports

On Wednesday (8 September 2021), the Government was asked to make a statement on its plans for domestic COVID-19 vaccine passports.

The Prime Minister said on 19 July that it is the Government’s intention to make full vaccination a condition of entry to nightclubs and other large capacity venues from September 2021. It has also been reported that the Government is considering other settings where vaccination may become be a requirement of entry.

In his statement to the House of Commons on 8 September 2021, the Vaccines Minister said: “We will be confirming more details in due course”.

I do not believe this is good enough. We are weeks away from implementation, yet there has been no clarity from Ministers. I am concerned that the Government has created confusion over COVID-19 passports. I share the frustration that will be felt by many at their indecision and the stress and confusion that this has caused for businesses and individuals in our constituency.

I firmly believe that vaccines are the most effective public health intervention against COVID-19. However, on current evidence I do not support a wide-ranging rollout of domestic COVID-19 passports based on vaccination status alone.

The Government must do everything possible to avoid a two-tier society in which those who are unable to be vaccinated are blocked from essential services or excluded from other indoor settings. I am concerned that asking people to produce a vaccine certificate to access their workplace, health services, or shops, for example, is discriminatory; it will add burden to businesses, and it may come at a significant cost.

These are all hugely important considerations that I hope Ministers will bear in mind as and when they bring forward their proposals.

Yours Sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP