Travellers should ask their GP for written evidence they have been vaccinated against Covid, the vaccines minister has suggested.
Vaccine deployment minister Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News yesterday that the Government is ‘not planning to have a [vaccine] passport in the UK’.
Speaking on the Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, Mr Zahawi said: ‘If other countries require some form of proof then you can ask your GP because your GP will hold the record – and that will then be able to be used as your proof that you’ve had the vaccine.
He added: ‘We have, as of yesterday, given the first dose to 11.5m people and what they get is a card from the NHS with their name on it, the date they’ve been vaccinated with the first dose and the date for their second dose.
‘I think the right thing to do is make sure people come forward to be vaccinated because they want to, rather than it being made in some way mandatory through a passport.’
The Government will not introduce the ‘passport’ for travellers because it ‘would be discriminatory’ and we don’t yet know the impact of the vaccines on virus transmission, Mr Zahawi said.
GPs took to Twitter to express concerns about the workload they could face if patients approach them for proof of vaccination, with some calling on the BMA to intervene.
It comes as the vaccines minister yesterday confirmed that GPs could be administering Covid variant ‘booster shots’ later this year – perhaps in the autumn.
READERS' COMMENTS [7]
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no problem for me – NOT nhs work. must be paid for – by person requesting it. NO EXTRA MONEE – NO EXTRA WORKEE !
20 guineas for this seems reasonable.
the irony is we will charge a fee for a certificate and earn more than for giving the vaccine!
Oh good, something we can charge for!
So, which MVCs have neglected to give out vaccination cards when they jab the patients then?
GPs have been giving every patient a card with the batch number on it…….. it is a requirement!
I suggest the work involved in checking databases, printing letter, etc, and clinical time, and it must be someone who can affor a plane ticket and 56 nights in an allocated hotel single room, so perhaps £ 2,400 for a certicifate?
About the same as a replacement YF certificate I think!
‘Go to your GP’ is the long standing dumping ground for anything Government, NHS Trusts , employers and just about everybody else when they can’t be bothered to do it themselves. In politics this is known as ‘no change’. As for me, I just want my certificate to get out of the country ASAP. so I can carry on enjoying me early retirement devoid of such misuse of my services.
A BIG notice on the front door pointing out that this isn’t a NHS service and that a fee will be charged.
Kerrrrrchinggggg!
just say no–or £150 a time