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LONDON (AP) – Britain’s Health Secretary said on Sunday authorities had decided not to require vaccine passports to enter nightclubs and other crowded events in England, turning the tide amid opposition from some of the Conservative government supporters in Parliament.
Sajid Javid said the government has set aside the idea of vaccine passports for now, but may reconsider the decision if COVID-19 cases increase exponentially again.
“We have reviewed it properly and although we have to keep it in reserve as a potential option, I am happy to say that we will not be moving forward with the vaccine passport plans,” Javid told the BBC.
The turnaround came just days after the government’s Vaccines Minister and Culture Secretary suggested vaccine passports would still be needed, despite growing opposition from lawmakers. Such passports are required in other European countries, such as France.
In particular, members of the ruling Conservative Party have opposed such passports as an unacceptable burden on businesses and a violation of the human rights of residents.
The idea of requiring people to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test for COVID-19 has been uncomfortable for many in Britain, where people are generally not required to carry identification documents.
The hospitality industry said the decision would move forward.
“We hope that companies will now be able to plan for the future with some certainty, regain the trust of customers and the workforce, and begin to rebuild a sector that has always been at the forefront of this. pandemic, ”said Michael Kill. , Managing Director of the Night Time Industries Association.
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