Covid: Vaccine passports decision due in Wales

A nightclub trade body has expressed concern over certification

A decision on whether proof of vaccination will be legally required to enter nightclubs and large events in Wales will be revealed on Friday.

Labour ministers have been considering Covid passports as part of their latest review of coronavirus restrictions.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has not ruled out a mandatory system, which is planned for Scotland and may be used in England.

However, a nightclub trade body warned the move may damage the industry.

The Conservatives and the Lib Dems in the Senedd expressed concerns, and called for ministers not to implement such a scheme.

No other changes are expected in the review to Wales' coronavirus laws, which were mostly scrapped over the summer.

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Mr Drakeford, who will hold a press conference at Friday lunchtime, has expressed scepticism about what he said were legal, ethical and practical issues with vaccine certification.

But he said he could be persuaded of the need for a passport scheme should the public health benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

He has ruled out passes being used for public services.

Proof of vaccination has already been required for some large events

People in Scotland will need proof they have been fully vaccinated before they can enter nightclubs and many large events from 1 October.

One of the concerns some companies have raised in Scotland is the definition of a nightclub - ministers there are still working on it.

Benjamin Newby of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) said there is no "standard definition" to differentiate between different types of night-time venues.

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In a letter to Mr Drakeford, he said: "With no criteria to identify 'nightclubs', and with local authorities differing in licensing conditions, any implementation of vaccine certification will be inevitably arbitrary.

"We, as representatives of the Welsh night time economy, fear that such measures would be immensely difficult to implement, have a hugely detrimental impact on trade, and would result in some of the hardest-hit Welsh businesses losing out to those in England, with very little public health benefit."

He warned of confrontation between staff and disgruntled customers, and potential fraud.

Panikos Myrittis, owner of 101 Nightclub, on St Mary Street, Cardiff, said vaccine passports are "yet another challenge" after the industry has "suffered already".

He said he worries "any more challenges thrown our way" would be a "hurdle too big".

"We want to make it easy for the customers and for them to enjoy themselves.

"It's [vaccine passports] going to be a chore, an effort, we need to build nightclubs back up."

He questioned why other businesses are not being asked to comply with passport requirements, adding "it doesn't make any sense to me to be honest".

'A very difficult winter'

Dr Mair Hopkin is the joint chair of the Royal College of GPs in Wales and said vaccine passports are a "very difficult decision".

She said: "It may help those at risk or those who are anxious about going out to start socialising which is going to be good for their mental health.

"The passports have been introduced in France and seem to be successful there and their rates are going down quite rapidly.

"On the other hand we do need something that is not too difficult to implement and monitor.

"It is an imposition of our civil liberties but then we do have to accept impositions if that's for the good of the whole society and the majority of cases in Wales now are in younger people so we have to be aware that it is spreading more in younger generations than in older generations.

"We have the winter pressures coming up on the NHS and if the rates of Covid and Covid hospitalisations don't start to come down soon then we'll be in for a very, very difficult winter."

'Ditch the plans'

Tory Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies said the Welsh Conservatives had been "clear in our opposition to vaccine passports, and we would encourage Labour ministers to ditch any plans they might have to introduce them".

Plaid Cymru health spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth said passports should be ruled out for public services, "but if evidence shows that they could limit transmission in some settings where attendance was voluntary, it makes sense for them to be considered".

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds said: "Vaccine passports are an infringement of our civil liberties, and they will disproportionately exclude black and ethnic minority communities who have, to date, been more hesitant than others to get vaccinated."

What is happening in England?

Some large events have already been requiring participants to be either fully vaccinated or provide a negative test.

Under the UK government's winter plan, vaccine certification will be required for nightclubs and other large events in England if data suggests action is needed to "prevent unsustainable pressure on the NHS".

The document says companies could be given a week's notice to implement the scheme.

Certificates are already available in Wales through the nhs.uk website but not through the NHS app, which provides certificates in England.

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