London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 26, 2026

Covid-19: No plans for 'vaccine passport' - Michael Gove

Covid-19: No plans for 'vaccine passport' - Michael Gove

There are no plans to introduce a "vaccine passport" to give people access to places such as pubs and restaurants once a coronavirus jab becomes available, says Michael Gove.

The Cabinet Office minister told the BBC: "That's not the plan."

His comments come after the vaccine minister suggested businesses could bar those who have not had a jab.

The vaccine rollout in the UK is expected to begin before Christmas, subject to regulatory approval.

Nadhim Zahawi has been appointed as a new health minister to oversee rollout of the vaccine in England.

Asked on Monday whether people who get the Covid-19 jab will receive some kind of "immunity passport" to show they have been vaccinated, Mr Zahawi told the BBC: "We are looking at the technology.

"And, of course, a way of people being able to inform their GP that they have been vaccinated.

"But, also, I think you'll probably find that restaurants and bars and cinemas and other venues, sports venues, will probably also use that system - as they have done with the (test and trace) app.

"I think that in many ways, the pressure will come from both ways, from service providers who'll say, 'Look, demonstrate to us that you have been vaccinated'.

"But, also, we will make the technology as easy and accessible as possible."

However, asked about the possibility of vaccine passports, Mr Gove told BBC Breakfast: "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, that's not the plan."

"What we want to do is to make sure that we can get vaccines effectively rolled out."

He added that individual businesses would "of course" have the "capacity to make decisions about who they will admit and why".

"But the most important thing that we should be doing at this stage is concentrating on making sure the vaccine is rolled out."

Why it's too soon to talk about proof of vaccination


If a Covid vaccine becomes available, the NHS will keep a log of who has received it. That will be to make sure people are given the right number of doses and to allow any monitoring and follow-up.

But asking individuals to carry proof of vaccination would be for a different reason - to cut the risk of transmitting Covid to others.

Some countries already require immunisation certificates for diseases such as polio or yellow fever to prevent global spread.

The difficulty with proposing the same for Covid-19 is we don't yet know if immunisation stops someone being contagious.

The vaccine trials so far show that jabs are very good at preventing illness, but more studies are needed to determine if they will also prevent a person from "shedding and spreading" the virus.

That's why it's premature to talk about vaccine passports to give people access to pubs and clubs, let alone other countries.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told a Downing Street press conference on Monday: "For a long time now we've been looking at the questions that minister Zahawi was talking about and the question of what's the impact on the individual in terms of what they can do."

But he added that the government did "not plan to mandate the vaccine".

Many businesses have previously touted the idea of so-called immunity passports, which would allow people to get on a plane or visit a hospitality venue by showing proof that they were not infectious.

The BBC's technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones said that the idea of storing vaccination records in the NHS Test and Trace app is controversial with privacy experts warning that using the app to display a user's vaccination status might lead to employers or public places making its use compulsory.

He adds: "Complex decisions would be involved, such as whether the app simply records immunisation or the results of later immunity tests proving that the user is no longer capable of spreading the virus."


Michael Gove says Covid immunity passports are "not the plan"


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Launches Review of Voluntary National Insurance Contributions System
UK Planning Inspectorate Reports Key Infrastructure and Planning Milestones in Annual Review
UK Government Reviews Travel Expense Reimbursement Rates for Employers and Employees
Civil Nuclear Constabulary Launches National Digital Memorial for Officers Killed in Service
UK and US Expand Collaboration on Nuclear Fusion Research and Workforce Exchange
Environment Agency Secures £275,000 Enforcement Deal with Anglian Water Over Permit Breaches
Independent Inspector Flags Ongoing Failures in UK Home Office Border Case Management
UK Government Considers Zero VAT Rate on Land for Social Housing Development
Bank of England Reports Sharp Drop in Emissions and Warns on Climate-Driven Financial Risk
Consumer Confidence in the UK Falls at Fastest Quarterly Rate Since 2022
UK Borrowing Costs Rise Sharply on Gilt Markets Amid Fiscal and Political Concerns
UK Government Plans Legislation to Bring British Steel into Public Ownership
UK Government Secures £210 Million Nuclear Fuel Deal to Support Ukraine Energy Security
London Ambulance Service Reports Record Emergency Call Volume Amid Severe Heatwave
United Kingdom Faces Record June Heatwave as Temperatures Hit 36.7°C in Somerset
UK Financial Services Reform Debate Intensifies Over Ministerial Regulatory Powers
UK Energy Price Cap Rise Expected to Keep Inflation Above Target Through 2026
UK Biohacking and AI Wellness Trends Drive Surge in Personal Health Monitoring
UK Social Care Sector Sees Workforce Shift as Overseas Recruitment Masks Domestic Labour Decline
Nuffield Trust Warns UK Health Budgets Remain Vulnerable Despite Record Spending Levels
UK Coal Pension Surplus Debate Returns to Parliament as Reform UK MP Seeks Clarity on Distribution
UK MPs Consider E-Petition Calling for NHS Newborn Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
UK Parliament Debates E-Petition Calling for Inquiry Into Pro-Israel Influence in Politics
UK Economy Grew 0.6 Percent in Q1 2026 but Business Sentiment Weakens Over Geopolitical Risks
UK Financial Services Bill Enters Lords Committee Stage With Expanded Ministerial Powers
UK Armed Forces Bill Advances With Plans for Defence Housing Service and Drone Defence Measures
UK Treasury Proposes Higher Electricity Generator Levy and Updated Mileage Allowance Rules
UK Parliament Debates Health Bill Amid Persistent GP Access and Patient Satisfaction Concerns
UK Financial Sanctions Regulator Signals Faster, Intelligence-Led Enforcement Strategy
British Chambers of Commerce Warns Business Confidence Crisis Is Dampening UK Investment
UK Parliament Debates Carbon Budget Order as Pressure Mounts on Net Zero Delivery
UK Energy Price Volatility Reinforces Pressure for Faster Electrification of Economy
UK Defence and Aerospace Strategy Gains Momentum as Keir Starmer Pushes Industrial Cooperation in Berlin
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Unveils £53 Million Investment in Farming Innovation
Foreign Secretary Announces Medical Evacuations and University Support for Palestinians in Gaza
Government-Commissioned Report Highlights Economic Exposure to Climate-Driven Fossil Fuel Price Shocks
Climate Change Committee Warns UK Is Off Track on Emissions Cuts and Calls for Faster Decarbonisation
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Calls for Deeper UK-EU Defence and Industrial Cooperation in Berlin Address
Met Office Issues Red Extreme Heat Warning as Temperatures Set to Surpass 37°C in England and Wales
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Outlook Remains Uncertain
UK Announces New Military Infrastructure at Catterick to Support Engineer Regiment Relocation
University of Reading Ranked Among Top 100 Globally for Sustainability Impact
UK Launches Counter-Fraud Taskforce to Investigate Covid Loan Scams
UK Government Introduces Customs and Tax Reforms to Support High Street Retailers
Jonathan Haskel Nominated as Chair of the UK Office for Budget Responsibility
UK Government Expands Powers to Recover Benefit Debt and Tackle Welfare Fraud
Labour Party Leadership Contest Intensifies as Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband Clash Over Economic Direction
Rail Operators Urge Essential Travel Only as Extreme Heat Threatens UK Network Stability
United Kingdom Issues Red Extreme Heat Warning as Temperatures Forecast to Reach 38°C
Keir Starmer Announces Resignation as UK Prime Minister Amid Deepening Political Instability
×