The UK Government has abolished the NHS COVID pass in the UK as a continuation of its “Living with COVID” strategy.
According to new guidance released on Saturday The government will start this Thursday, The domestic NHS COVID pass will no longer be available and will no longer be enforced. This means that venues and events will no longer be able to request it as a condition of entry.
The NHS COVID Pass is the official way to show the status of vaccinations for COVID-19 in the UK and was used to check the status of vaccinations and tests for people at nightclubs and large events.
Its removal is part of a broader move that promised to ax the British vaccine passport on behalf of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s conservative government. “Living with COVID” strategy During February. The plan, which removes all remaining legal restrictions, shows that England has returned to a relatively normal state since it was announced.
With the “jab-free work” policy imposed on long-term care facilities in November 2021 abolished in mid-March, there is no longer a compulsory immunization system for the general public in the UK. Refusing to wear a mask is no longer a criminal offense, and children under the age of 11 do not have to legally wear a face cover.
The 2020 Coronavirus Act, which empowered the government to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, expired on March 25.
Vaccine passports faced fierce political opposition, primarily from Johnson’s own cabinet. Sixty Tory lawmakers voted against the imposition of additional coronavirus countermeasures requiring passports to be mandatory at large venues.
With the change in guidance, the government will stop accepting new applications from May 12th, “Medical exemption services from anyone who wants to use a domestic NHS COVID pass to prove that they cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.” Said.
However, the government added that NHS COVID passes for overseas travel will continue to be available.
European Union made it available COVID-19 passport In July 2021, each country adopted its own strict vaccine passport system for all EU citizens and residents. In some countries it was necessary to put a vaccine passport in almost every public building.
In Italy, pharmacies and supermarkets were exempt, but most public spaces, including workplaces and medium- and long-distance public transport, required a Super Green Pass. The country recently lifted the COVID-19 restriction.
France, which strictly prohibited visits to unvaccinated cafes and restaurants and domestic travel, lifted its vaccination passport in March in all areas where it was previously needed.
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Owen Evans is a UK-based journalist who covers stories from a wide range of countries with a particular interest in civil liberties and free speech.