the prime minister has confirmed that
the uk government will consider the case
for the introduction of so-called
vaccine passports
the document could take the form of a
vaccine certificate
or proof of covet status and the nhs
mobile app could be modified
to carry that information but mr johnson
was keen to emphasize the considerable
difficulties involved
and it is an idea that he and other
ministers have dismissed several times
in the past
he said he was still confident that all
restrictions in england could be lifted
by june the 21st in scotland the first
minister nicola sturgeon
has unveiled what she called a
deliberately cautious strategy
with a phased reopening of the economy
more on scotland in just a moment
but first our deputy political editor
vicky young on the debate at westminster
up and down the country every minute of
the day
okay thank you people are getting some
protection from the virus that's
changed our lives three two one shot
scratch
this is our way out of covid
restrictions
if everything goes according to plan
this summer dance floors theaters and
concert venues could be packed once more
but should everyone be let through the
doors or only those who've been
vaccinated
ministers need to decide soon we're
looking at a novelty
for our country we haven't had stuff
like this before we've never
thought in terms of having something
that you have to show
to go to uh you know a pub or theater
uh that and and so there are deep and
complex
issues that we need to explore ethical
issues
not everyone is waiting for the
government's review to protect
vulnerable residents some care homes are
asking employees for
proof they've had a vaccine with new
staff
that that are joining us we're just
going to make it a requirement
that they have to have the vaccine and
if they're not willing
to then they can't work for us it's not
just the care sector taking this
approach
other companies want employees to be
vaccinated too
it's going to be the protection and
safety of their staff and also
protection and safety of their customers
so i feel
it's a no-brainer basically what about
people who decide that they
either can't have one for medical
reasons or they don't want to have one
it's not compulsory in this country
is that unfair on them the ones that
don't want to have it that's not unfair
that's their decision that's their
choice
but i think it's going to mean that they
won't get a job
they won't be able to go clubs
restaurants vias
or even travel so that's their choice
ministers accept that other countries
are likely to ask for vaccine passports
before we can travel abroad
but some say using them at home is
unfair
it's really important that the
government holds fast to the idea that
vaccination is voluntary it's a
fundamental right that we should be able
to choose what medical
treatment we have or we don't have and
inevitably those people who would be
most disadvantaged by any system
would be those people who are already
marginalized already poorer
or already disadvantaged in other ways
for weeks the government's ruled out a
vaccine passport or certificate for
domestic
use but that's now changed there's going
to be a review and ministers say they're
going into it with an open mind
one idea being looked at is to use the
existing nhs
app so people can record whether they've
been vaccinated
or had a negative test before they enter
a venue
the government knows that vaccinations
and testing are the key to opening up
many businesses
but they need to avoid a divisive
two-tier system
vicki young bbc news westminster
and our home editor mark easton is with
me listening carefully
to the prime minister there mark he
didn't sound at all certain as to
whether he wanted it or not
i think you could hear the equivocation
in his voice when talking about a
vaccination passport
conservative ministers are generally
pretty queasy about the idea of
identification papers you'll remember 20
years ago
the row over id cards which were
portrayed as
as unbritish but there is i think a
certain inevitability about some kind of
vaccine passport and that's why the
government
is looking at whether the the nhs app
the one we
we use to to check our medical records
and test results whether that could be
adapted securely to show uh both uh
vaccination status and
and as vicki was saying covered status
and the thought is that if you can show
either that you've had a jab or that
you've recently tested negative that
actually gets around the
the discrimination problem of people who
cannot or prefer not
to have the vaccine but there's a lot
more work to be done
there are technical questions about how
you make sure that that confidential
medical data is
is safe and secure and practical
questions about how you make sure
that the passport is available to all
and acceptable by all not just
nationally but internationally we know
that major airlines
are already saying they're going to
demand a vaccine certificate
to fly to certain places and countries
like greece are
encouraging the eu to introduce a
vaccine certificate
for tourists to go on holiday this
summer
so some politicians may not like the
idea of having
uh state papers required to go to the
pub or the football
or the theater but this may just be
another example of how the pandemic is
is is forcing society really to adapt to
new and
often uncomfortable ways mark many
thanks again mark easton there our home
editor