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Rights and responsibilities of covid pass

I’ve been doing and supervising hundreds of vaccinations in London and Wiltshire.

As we anticipate something approaching normality with venues opening up, the question of covid passports or certificates has become prominent. There’s precedent, notably Yellow Fever certificates demanded for entry by a number of countries and vaccination required for some occupations, notably health workers.

The first test is whether mandatory or permitted covid passes will significantly protect other people or not. If not, then ditch the idea. Otherwise I think we have to reflect on rights and responsibility being sides of the same coin. Personally I don’t have a principled objection to people being asked to show they are not posing a risk to others if and when they interact with other people. That could mean being vaccinated, showing you’ve recently had a negative covid test, showing you have antibodies to the virus or showing a valid reason for having none of these.

My experience is that most people would agree. Indeed, my ear is frequently bent in favour of ID cards – a potentially greater imposition and one I’ve not been supportive of.
I accept that, as in wartime, we have to be careful about impositions that are quickly placed but slowly lifted. I am also by instinct rather keen on minimising government and Whitehall diktats.

However, if covid passports can expedite the return of some of the freedoms put in abeyance over the past year, I am likely to support. Indeed, other jurisdictions from Israel to the EU are working on vaccine passports for a variety of activities, from traveling abroad to shopping. This could create a fait accompli in which countries and individual businesses seek to adopt vaccine checks. It would be odd for government to intrude on proprietors trying to make premises safe for customers and staff based on best available evidence which gets back to my point about whether covid passes will make a material difference to risk.

The judgement is eased somewhat by government saying it will rule out the requirement for certificates in settings like public transport and essential shops. There has also been talk of time-limiting covid certification.

Government has said that certification would in any event not be ready until June. Indeed, we have just enjoyed the first few days of pubs being re- opened – albeit outside in our temperamental climate – without needing so-called vaccine passports. Various forms of certification are now due to be trialed in high attendance events – including at a reduced- capacity Wembley for the FA Cup final. Clearly the transition from the rule of six in a beer garden to 90,000 football fans crammed into Wembley will require caution. But we will get there and covid certificates might just help.

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