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12th Sep 2021

UK confirms planned use of vaccine passports in nightclubs will be scrapped

Clara Kelly

“I’m pleased to say that we will not be going ahead with plans for vaccine passports.”

The UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed that the UK Government will “not be going ahead” with plans to put a vaccine passport in place for nightclubs throughout the country.

Last month, plans to require members of the public to show proof of full vaccination before entering nightclubs from October were announced.

However, on Sunday, Javid told BBC’s Andrew Marr programme that the suggestion had now been scrapped.

“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.

“We’ve looked at it properly and whilst we should keep it in reserve as a potential option, I’m pleased to say that we will not be going ahead with plans for vaccine passports.”

Stormont ministers have yet to reach an official position on using vaccine passports in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, clubs throughout the rest of Ireland are set to reopen on 22 October with no suggestion that there will be a requirement for vaccination upon entry.

The current vaccine passport system which presently allows only those who have been fully vaccinated against the virus, recently recovered, or accompanying under 18s, to enter restaurants indoors, is also set to come to an end in October.