A new study shows that 78% of UK companies have no plans to confirm evidence of vaccination.
The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) released its findings on Thursday, targeting more than 1,000 companies in various sectors and the United Kingdom.
When asked if there are plans to require proof of vaccination from a customer, supplier, or employee, 78% of respondents said they had no plans to do so. For large companies with more than 50 staff, that number dropped to 69%.
Only 5% said they had already implemented their own requirements for proof of vaccination, and 6% said they were likely to do so in the future. These were likely to be companies with more than 50 staff. The other 11% said they needed more information.
When asked about the safety measures companies expect to implement or maintain in the next 12 months, 76% of respondents chose social distance, 61% of companies introduced hand sanitizers, 54 Expected that% needed a face cover. ..
Almost half (46%) of companies expect continuous changes in their workspace, such as screens and socially remote desk placement, and 45% intend to limit access to offices / facilities. It states that there is.
Over the next 12 months, only 9% of companies expect no action to be taken.
The investigation will be conducted as the UK approaches the final stages of its government roadmap for reopening the country.
“We will discuss more about what the world looks like and what role it can play for certification and social distance later this month,” Boris Johnson said on Tuesday. ..
Hannah Essex, co-secretary general of the BCC, said the investigation showed that the government needed to hurry.
In a statement, Essex said, “This study requires the government to quickly clarify what steps companies need to take to maintain safety standards after reaching the final stages of the roadmap on June 21. It shows that. “
“In particular, the ongoing debate about the use of vaccine certification needs to be resolved and clear and definitive guidance provided. [businesses], “She said.
“There are various signals about issues with companies that need to require proof of vaccination from their customers, suppliers, or employees.
“Our numbers show that the vast majority of companies aren’t currently planning for such a scenario, so if. [the] The government certainly plans to make this a requirement in all areas, and needs to act swiftly to inform companies so they can coordinate and prepare, “she said. It was.
“Many companies are committed to continuing various COVID-protected measures over the next 12 months, including social distance, masking, and various other interventions,” she said. I added.
After initially excluding the introduction of vaccine passports, the UK government began reviewing ideas in late February and began trials of COVID status certification last month.
Some companies are concerned that if such measures are introduced, they will be “difficult” to implement.
“Implementing vaccination proof requirements can be difficult for us. Safety is our number one priority, but the associated management process is cumbersome. Vaccines for personal beliefs There are also major personnel concerns about where individuals do not want to be vaccinated, “Gulles Jones, managing director of training service provider Incom, said in a statement.
“When it comes to other measures, our main problem is that numbers are the key to business sustainability and growth. The actions we must take to reduce the number of learners. Will hurt us so much that we hope to return to the original cohort size as soon as it is safe to do so. Measures must be purposeful and feasible. ” He added.
Phil Calcutt, director of engineering solutions company A & MEDM, said: There are no legal sanctions to ensure compliance and we expect test cases to be brought to court. What can companies expect if the NHS and long-term care facilities fail to implement this type of thing? “
Alexander Zhang contributed to this report.