Senator John Le Fondré said there was ‘no political will’ to bring in a certification scheme that could restrict Islanders’ ability to visit pubs, restaurants, cinemas and other indoor venues if they have not received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.
France and Italy have both confirmed plans for vaccination passports in recent weeks, while it has been reported that the UK and Germany are among the other countries considering such a move. In France and Italy, the announcement has sparked protests but also led to a significant rise in vaccination appointments.
From the end of September, those going to nightclubs and other crowded venues in England will also have to be fully vaccinated, the UK government has announced.
Asked about the issue of vaccine passports at the government’s latest press conference, Senator Le Fondré said it was hoped that other methods, notably ‘drop-in’ vaccinations at Fort Regent throughout this week, would boost the number of young people arranging to be vaccinated.
The latest figures show that just over 60% of Islanders aged 18 to 29 have received a first dose.
Senator Le Fondré said: ‘So far we feel that [vaccine passports] is a disproportionate response – there are civil liberty issues around it and to be honest I think ministers would need a lot of convincing to go down that line and would prefer that people volunteer to be vaccinated.’
Deputy medical officer of health Dr Ivan Muscat said: ‘It’s really important that people get vaccinated, that’s what is putting us on the road to being able to live with Covid.
‘It makes a huge amount of sense for all those eligible to get vaccinated and protect themselves, their family and loved ones, and the community at large.’
Last week it was confirmed that Italians wanting to visit restaurants, cinemas and gyms would need a vaccine passport from 6 August. A similar scheme had already been announced in France, prompting 1.3 million people to book vaccination appointments within 24 hours.
UK media quoted remarks by an aide to German Chancellor Angela Merkel that vaccinated citizens may be given more liberties than those who had declined jabs.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reportedly concerned about low vaccine uptake among young people and has warned that
entry to nightclubs could in future be dependent on vaccination status, with UK ministers also considering mandatory vaccination for higher and further education settings.
Dr Muscat confirmed that Jersey was still planning a programme of booster vaccination during September and October, focused on the over-50s, those deemed at high risk and healthcare workers, as levels of immunity could diminish after around one year.
The complexion of the Covid situation had changed as a result of the vaccination programme, Dr Muscat said, and it was still hoped that all adults would have been offered their jabs by mid-August.
lDrop-in vaccinations will be available (for first doses only) at Fort Regent from 5pm to 6pm daily until Friday, and from 8.30am to 3.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.
