Island grappling with issue of vaccination passports

Friday 05 March 2021

Islanders could have to hold multiple vaccination passports if they want to travel and attend events in Jersey in future, according to the Deputy Medical Officer for Health.

Stressing that no firm decision had been taken, Dr Ivan Muscat said that it might be necessary to hold a ‘covid safety passport’ for international travel and an ‘immunity passport’ to attend venues and events in the island.

However, the island's Vaccination Lead, Becky Sherrington, added that the Government was looking at the feasibility of bringing in a digital passport to make it easier for islanders to prove they had been vaccinated. 

Dr Muscat said: “Vaccination passports have been talked about for some time and it’s still very much a work in progress, including what different countries will require for inward travel.

“It may be that, in addition to a passport, a country may require a negative PCR result as well. Of course, there is an argument that requiring a passport deprives someone of their rights, and that is all part of the discussions currently taking place."

Pictured: Jersey's Vaccination Lead said they were looking at a digital passport.

Like most governments, Jersey’s wants as many people as possible to be vaccinated against covid, but it is not compulsory.

At the moment, anyone who has had the jab receives a vaccination card, and the details go in their medical records.

Last week, the UK Prime Minister launched a review into the “deep and complex issues” around vaccine passports. Some countries, including Greece and Austria, have urged other EU nations to adopt them as a way to revive tourism.

Some operators, such as Saga Cruises, have said they will be obligatory for their passengers while some airlines, such as Air New Zealand, have started to trial them on flights.

While UK ministers have said that a vaccination passport may be inevitable for international travel, they have frequently appeared to dismiss introducing a similar scheme domestically for hospitality or leisure activities.

Pictured: Saga will insist that passengers on its cruises have been vaccinated against Covid.

Few doubt that obliging people to be vaccinated to travel and congregate also raises legal and ethical issues. It could, for instance, discriminate against the young, pregnant or those who can't have the jab for medical reasons. 

In January, UK firm Pimlico Plumbers announced it was introducing a 'no jab, no job' policy requiring all of its workers to be vaccinated against covid-19, which prompted a widespread debate on the ethics and legality of that decision.

There are also scientific questions over how long immunity lasts and whether vaccines will protect against new variants.