Government says no decisions have been taken on vaccine passports in hospitality

The government has said no decisions have yet been taken on whether vaccine passports could be used in hospitality settings later this year.

It follows a report in the Daily Mail which said Boris Johnson has shifted the focus of the scheme away from restaurants, pubs and bars.

A review into the possible use of Covid-status certification in reopening the economy is ongoing and has received over 50,000 responses to a public call for evidence.

A government spokesperson said: “We are considering a range of evidence around Covid-status certification and whether it may have a role in opening up higher risk settings safely. The review is ongoing and no decisions have been taken.”

Hospitality owners previously told The Caterer such a scheme could create a “nightmare” for businesses by putting staff in a difficult position and causing a drop in trade.

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden played down the role of vaccine passports at the Master Innholders ‘Hoteliers - Battered but not Beaten’ webinar last week and said they could be considered for international travel.

He added if they were used at all it should be “in the fewest number of settings” for “as short a period as we possibly could” if parts of the economy still had difficulty reopening.

The prime minister has said there will be no requirement for vaccine passports in the next stage of reopening indoor hospitality in England, which has a provisional date of 17 May.