The second lockdown is set to end on December 2 with England returning to a revised tier system. Ahead of this, the UK Government has four vaccines waiting for final approval from the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Prior to the four drugs – from Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech, Oxford University and AstraZeneca and Novavax – being given final approval, Government ministers have indicated hospitality venues may ban members of the public entering unless they have been vaccinated.
Immunity certificates or ‘freedom passes’ have been proposed to allow access to hospitality venues.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has indicated an immunity certificate has been discussed while new vaccine deployment minister, Nadhim Zahawi, stated hospitality venues may use the NHS app to determine who can enter the venue.
He told the BBC: “We are looking at the technology.
“And, of course, a way of people being able to inform their GP that they have been vaccinated.
“But, also, I think you’ll probably find that restaurants and bars and cinemas and other venues, sports venues, will probably also use that system – as they have done with the test and trace app.
“I think that in many ways the pressure will come from both ways.
“From service providers who’ll say: ‘Look, demonstrate to us that you have been vaccinated.’
“But, also, we will make the technology as easy and accessible as possible.”
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The UK has secured seven million doses of the drug but supplies of the vaccine are not expected to reach Britain until March.
Pfizer’s drug has also been found to have 95 percent efficacy with the UK having 40 million doses.
Oxford’s drug was 70 percent effective but among a subset of volunteers, the potential vaccine was found to rise to 90 percent with a lower dose of the jab.
The Government has bought 100 million doses of the drug which is also much cheaper than the Pfizer’s.
Data from Novavax will not be released until 2021 with the UK having 60 million doses of the possible vaccine.
Despite having four vaccines in phase 3 trials, Government advisers have warned of potential medical privacy matters surrounding vaccine passports.
