Michael Gove has confirmed that Britons will not be requiring a ‘vaccine passports’ to visit the pub, theatre or sport stadium.
Speaking on Sky News, the senior minister confirmed that there would be no introduction of identification for those who have received the vaccine.
“I certainly am not planning to introduce any vaccine passports, and I don’t know anyone else in government who is,” he said.
“I think the most important thing to do is make sure we vaccinate as many people as possible.
“There are three vaccines that are going through appropriate testing now to make sure that they’re absolutely safe and the most important thing is to make sure we get as many people as possible – starting with the most vulnerable, and then those who work on the front-line of the NHS – vaccinated effectively,” Gove added. “That’s a big challenge because we’ve got to persuade people who are opposed to taking a vaccine that it’s in all of our collective interest”.
“I think we can take on some of the arguments from the anti-vax brigade, they’re not really based in science. There’s a very rigorous process we undergo to make sure vaccines are safe.”
Gove’s comments came following the appointment of Nadhim Zahawi who will be responsible to the rollout of the jab. Zahawi made comments to suggest that people in the UK who had refused the vaccine could be refused entry to pubs.
“We are looking at the technology. And, of course, a way of people being able to inform their GP that they have been vaccinated,” Zahawi told the BBC over the weekend. “But, also, I think you’ll probably find that restaurants and bars and cinemas and other venues, sports venues, will probably also use that system – as they have done with the [test and trace] app.”
“I think that in many ways the pressure will come from both ways. From service providers who’ll say: ‘Look, demonstrate to us that you have been vaccinated.’ But, also, we will make the technology as easy and accessible as possible.”