Leeds

Backlash over Boris Johnson’s plan for vaccine passports in clubs

It appears that Johnson has dropped the carrot and picked up the stick - and not everyone is very happy.

Georgina Pellant - 20th July 2021

A growing backlash is emerging today following Boris Johnson's announcement last night regarding plans to introduce Covid vaccine passports in clubs and at other "mass gatherings".

As The Telegraph put it this morning, it appears that Johnson has dropped the carrot and picked up the stick - and not everyone is very happy.

Night clubs returned at 00:01 on Monday 19 July, but before the day was out the Prime Minister had appeared in a televised press conference to announce new plans to introduce compulsory vaccination as a requirement of entry into nightclubs and other 'crowded events' in the autumn.

Since making the announcement yesterday, the Prime Minister has also been asked to clarify the relaxation of isolation rules for a number of fully-vaccinated key workers who've come into close contact with covid positive patients; after a Downing Street statement yesterday merely said it would not be a “blanket exemption for any sector or role”.

Speaking from his self-isolation inside number 10, the Prime Minister said that vaccination would become a condition of entry to nightclubs starting in September after Chief Medical Advisor singled out clubs out as potential "super spreading events".

The announcement regarding vaccine passports follows several weeks in which we've seen huge crowds of football fans come together, both inside and outside venues, during the Euros tournament and amidst reports this morning that Covid deaths have risen by 68% in a single week.

With Covid deaths currently their highest since April and Leeds newly named as the centre of the 'pingdemic' with more people currently in self-isolation than anywhere else in the country, some are questioning what is driving the decision making behind the rules currently at play in England.

Night Time Industries Association chief executive Michael Kill accused the Government of “an absolute shambles”.

“So, ‘freedom day’ for nightclubs lasted around 17 hours then,” he said, speaking the announcement regarding vaccine passports in nightclubs.

“80% of nightclubs have said they do not want to implement Covid passports, worrying about difficulties with enforcing the system and a reduction in spontaneous consumers, as well as being put at a competitive disadvantage with pubs and bars that aren’t subject to the same restrictions and yet provide similar environments.”

Whilst Mark Harper, a Conservative former chief whip that currently chairs the Covid Recovery Group of Tory lockdown-sceptics, criticised the new plans for vaccine passports as “effectively moving to compulsory vaccination”.

Former Conservative health secretary Jeremy Hunt also questioned the vaccine passport plans, questioning why they were being delayed until autumn.

Considering that nightclubs are predominantly popular with younger people, many of whom have only recently been invited to get their first injection, the new September deadline has created anxiety around getting their second jab in time.

Others have suggested the policy is designed to motivate younger people to get their second jab for the autumn.

Shadow health minister for Labour Justin Madders said: “How can it be safe to go to nightclubs now, with no protective measures, if in September it will require double jab status? It makes no sense.

“This proposal is more confusion and incompetence from the heart of Government at the expense of public health. They need to get a grip.”

Feature image - Mint Leeds.