PRIME minister Boris Johnson insisted he would not be in favour of vaccination passports for trips to the pub – but stopped short of completely ruling them out.

At today’s daily coronavirus press briefing, Mr Johnson suggested the path to freedom from restrictions in place since March last year would be smoothed by testing rather than offering proof of having had a jab.

But he did confirm the government would “look at everything” when it came to reopening businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector.

“What we are thinking of at the moment is more of a route that relies on mass vaccination – we intend to vaccinate all of the adults in the country by the autumn – plus lateral flow testing,” he said.

Those rapid tests would help “the toughest nuts to crack” including nightclubs and some theatres which had been unable to open last year, he added.

“I think that will be the route that we go down and that businesses will go down,” he continued.

“You are already seeing lots of business using the potential of rapid, on-the-day testing as well. I think that, in combination with vaccination, will probably be the route forward.”

But he said it was “still early days, there are lots of discussions still to be had”.

Earlier on Monday Mr Johnson said he had no plans to introduce vaccine passports for activities like going to the pub.

It came after Foreign Office minister James Cleverly said earlier this month that the UK Government would work with other countries to “help facilitate” coronavirus immunity passports if they are required by destinations to travel abroad.

Speaking to the media in south London prior to the daily briefing, Mr Johnson said he envisages such schemes could be required for foreign travel but not domestic activities.

He added: “I think inevitably there will be great interest in ideas like can you show that you had a vaccination against Covid in the way that you sometimes have to show you have had a vaccination against yellow fever or other diseases in order to travel somewhere.

“I think that is going to be very much in the mix down the road, I think that is going to happen.

“What I don’t think we will have in this country is – as it were – vaccination passports to allow you to go to, say, the pub or something like that.”

THE OTHER MAIN POINTS

  • Those in the top nine priority groups (aged 50+) can expect to be given a vaccine before May.
  • Prime minister Boris Johnson wants this national lockdown to be England's last but stopped short of ruling out another give any guarantees. 
  • Decisions on the way out of lockdown, which are due to be revealed next Monday, have not yet been taken.
  • There are still more people in hospital with Covid-19 now than there were during the first peak in April.

What do you think of vaccination passports for travel or domestic pleasures, such as going to the pub? 

Fair game or taking liberties? 

Let us know. Email andy.mitchell@newsquest.co.uk to have your views heard.