BoJo to Reportedly Ditch COVID-19 Jab Passports, 'No Longer Necessary' Parts of Coronavirus Act

Downing Street reiterated at the end of August that the government intended to introduce vaccine passports for entry to nightclubs and other crowded indoor venues from the end of September, despite critics slamming the plans as "divisive, unworkable and expensive".

Boris Johnson is ready to ditch plans to make vaccination certificates compulsory at venues such as nightclubs, cinemas and sports grounds, reported The Times.

At a press conference, set for 14 September, the UK prime minister will purportedly announce the government’s plans for tackling the coronavirus pandemic throughout winter, and explain why the mandatory certification scheme is being abandoned.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson walks on Downing Street in London, Britain, September 10, 2021.

© REUTERS / PETER NICHOLLS

The Prime Minister is said to have been advised by scientists that vaccinations would be effective as a first line of defence against a possible surge in COVID-19 cases in the winter months – typically a high-risk time when respiratory illnesses circulate. Those companies and venues that are already requiring proof of vaccination before entry will reportedly be allowed to continue to do so.

AMAZING report from @PHE_uk on vaccination impact on #COVID19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths in England

2 things stand out:
- Vaccines work astoundingly well
- Even unvaccinated kids are lower risk of death than fully vaccinated adults of any agehttps://t.co/E1oHhKrCCA pic.twitter.com/rUadEWusOp

— Alasdair Munro (@apsmunro) September 9, 2021

Furthermore, a decision on a booster jab programme is also reportedly pending upon recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI).

‘Second-Class Citizens’

The current reported U-turn comes as at the end of August, the proposals, timed for late September, had still been in place. Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson had been vehement that there was no change to the policy.

“We set out broadly our intention to require vaccination for nightclubs and some other settings. We will be coming forward in the coming weeks with detail for that,” he said on 31 August.

However, the plans that would ostensibly create “second-class citizens” had encountered strong opposition, both from some venues, which warned they would “cripple the industry”, as well as backbench Tory MPs on the COVID Recovery Group (CRG).

The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, described them as "divisive, unworkable and expensive". Labour had suggested including coronavirus testing alongside vaccination as a better approach.

‘Intrusive Measures’

Boris Johnson is believed to be hoping to avoid another stringent lockdown across the country and is mulling rolling back some of the Government's discretionary powers to shut down sections of the economy under the Coronavirus Act. The latter was introduced to Parliament on 19 March to handle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of the powers that are expected to be repealed include those allowing the closing down of the economy, imposing of restrictions on events and gatherings, temporarily closing or restricting access to schools, and powers to detain infectious people. However, powers deemed as "critical to protect and support the public" will remain in place. People will also be required to isolate if they test positive for COVID-19.

Contingency measures would be implemented if there was a risk that the National Health Service (NHS) might be overwhelmed, government sources were cited as saying, including bringing back mandatory face coverings and working from home. Legal requirement to wear a face mask ended on 19 July.

“Thanks to the efforts of the public, the NHS and our phenomenal vaccination programme, we reached Step 4 in our road map and life has returned to a sense of normality. These extraordinary times required necessary but intrusive measures. But I'm determined to get rid of any powers we no longer need because of our vaccine defences. I will set out the next phase in our Covid response shortly,” Johnson is cited as saying.

On Saturday, the UK reported 29,547 new infections, with another 156 deaths registered within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test.

United Kingdom Daily Coronavirus (COVID-19) Report · Saturday 11th September.

29,547 new cases (people positive) reported, giving a total of 7,197,662.

156 new deaths reported, giving a total of 134,144. pic.twitter.com/xZUsj7Do5l

— UK COVID-19 (@UKCovid19Stats) September 11, 2021

The coronavirus vaccination programme continues across the nation, with 89 percent of the population over the age of 16 having received their first dose, while almost 81 percent (just under 43.9 million) have had both jabs.