UK government backs down on vaccine passports

The British government is to abandon its plan to impose a health passport on a requirement for major events, according to The Telegraph (1). Officials working on the certificate believe it is unworkable. There is no chance of changing the law to impose its use in the UK.

“It’s not going to happen,” said a well-placed government source close to the project. “Everyone says it’s dead.”

The British government first expressed interest in vaccine passports in February. They were part of the government’s plan to end confinement.

Fortunately, the problems for vaccine passports seem insurmountable. Airlines have begun warning vaccinated people that they should not fly, because of the risk of blood clots (2).

Within the UK the passport is the subject of controversy, even from the most submissive. Ministers have been considering changing the law to require vaccination passports at events such as soccer matches, concerts, festivals and business conferences.

Boris Johnson has already ruled out their use for essential activities, such as visiting the supermarket or GP, and has indicated that he is not in favor of their use in bars and restaurants.

Some members of the working group that forms part of the executive and has been studying the certifications go further and believe the plan is unworkable. Overseas visitors do not have the NHS certifying application, undermining the system.

Others point out that there are some medical exemptions to receiving the vaccinations, such as people with allergic reactions and young people, which further complicates the plan.

Israel, whose health passport became the model closely studied by the British government, will soon abandon its “green passport.”

(1) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/05/30/uk-vaccine-passport-plans-scrapped/
(2) https://www.hinzuu.com/2021/05/29/haben-sie-eine-impfung-keine-fluege-mehr/