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People could be denied entry to a number of places if they decline a coronavirus vaccine, a minister suggested.
Nadhim Zahawi, responsible for launching vaccines against COVID-19, said jabs will not be required.
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“I think it’s okay for me to volunteer,” he said.
“People have to be able to decide for themselves whether they want to get vaccinated or not.
“But I think the very strong message that they will see is that this is how we give back to the whole country, and it is good for their family, it is good for their community, it is good for their country to be vaccinated.
“And ultimately, people will have to make a decision.”
Zahawi confirmed that the government was considering providing people who receive the vaccine with an “immunity passport” to prove they have received it.
And he also told the BBC’s World At One: “I think you will probably find that restaurants, bars, cinemas and other places, sports facilities, will probably also use that system, as they have done with the app.”
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“I think in many ways the pressure will come from both sides, from the service providers who will say ‘look, show us they’ve been vaccinated.’
“But we will also make technology as easy and accessible as possible.”
When specifically asked if those who refuse to get vaccinated might find that they have restrictions on what they can do, Mr. Zahawi replied: “I think people have a choice to make.
“But I think you’ll probably find that a lot of service providers will want to get involved with this the way they did with the app.”
Comparison of COVID-19 vaccines ordered by the UK
Encouraging results from trials of various COVID-19 vaccines have raised hopes for a route out of the pandemic and a return to some form of normalcy in the coming months.
Modern has submitted for regulatory approval for its vaccine in the United States, reporting that its trials have shown no serious safety issues with the jab, which it says is 94.1% effective.
The UK has secured seven million doses of this vaccine, enough for 3.5 million people.
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The Oxford vaccine is up to 90% effective
A vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech has been found to have a 95% efficacy rate in trials, and the UK government ordered 40 million doses.
Meanwhile, the UK has placed orders for 100 million doses of a vaccine from the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, which has been found to be up to 90% effective.
People could start getting vaccinated in a few weeks if the vaccine gets approval from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.
