Amelia Cutting
The plans for double vaccination to be compulsory for entry to nightclubs and large events in England has been scrapped, Sajid Javid has announced.
First announced in July with a further announcement at the start of September confirming they would still be going ahead, the plans were going to come into place at the end of this month.
This comes just days after Scotland announced that they would be launching their vaccine passport scheme from 1 October.
Under the scheme, people in England would have been required to show proof that they had received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in order to be allowed entry to large events and crowded venues such as clubs.
“We shouldn’t just be doing things for the sake of it.”
The Night Time Industries Association warned that the plans would cause discrimination cases in clubs, crippling the industry.
Opposition also came from Tory MP’s on the Covid Recovery Group and the Liberal Democrats.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr show, Mr Javid said: “We just shouldn’t be doing things for the sake of it or because others are doing it, and we should look at every possible intervention properly.”
I’ve never liked the idea of saying to people you must show your papers or something to do what is just an everyday activity, but we were right to properly look at it.”
He said that the vaccine passports are not needed because of high vaccine uptake, testing, surveillance and new treatments, all things which make up the “wall of defence.” He denies that this U-turn has come from fear after criticism from the party’s own backbenchers.
Just last week, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said that the end of September was the right time to start the vaccine passport scheme for crowded events because it was the ‘best way’ to keep the night industry open.
Despite not being compulsory, some venues and organisers have already been asking for vaccination status proof to gain entry.
An Office for National Statistics Survey, covering the dates 25 August to 5 September, found that around 1 in 10 adults across Great Britain had been asked to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test to be allowed into a venue or event.
Boris Johnson is expected to make an announcement this week regarding the plan for booster jabs and the government’s Covid Winter Plan.
Featured image courtesy of Nick Fewings via Unsplash. Image licence can be found here. No changes or alterations were made to this image.
Amelia Cutting
I'm Amelia- a graduate from the University of Leeds and current NCTJ Level 5 Diploma student!