Pubs and sports venues 'could turn away people not vaccinated against coronavirus'

1 December 2020, 08:42

Nadhim Zahawi, the Minister in charge of the UK vaccine rollout, has said that technology could be used to track who's been vaccinated.

People who refuse to have a vaccine for coronavirus could be turned away from hospitality businesses and sports venues, a government minister has suggested.

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Nadhim Zahawi, who was appointed government minister for vaccines on Saturday, has said that pubs and other businesses could potentially use technology to find out whether customers have been jabbed before entry.

When asked by the BBC whether those who have been vaccinated would get an 'immunity passport', Mr Zahawi said, according to the Guardian: "We are looking at the technology. And, of course, a way of people being able to inform their GP that they have been vaccinated. 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."

He added that people would have to “make a decision” on whether to get vaccinated.

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Speaking about the vaccine from a Downing Street press conference, Health Secretary Matt Hancock reiterated that there are no plans to make the vaccine compulsory.

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He said: "For a long time now we’ve been looking at the questions that minister Zahawi was talking about and the question of what’s the impact on the individual in terms of what they can do.

"Firstly, we do not plan to mandate the vaccine. We think that by encouraging the uptake of the vaccine, we will get a very high proportion of people in this country to take up the vaccine, because of course it protects you but it also helps to protect your loved ones and your community."

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