Hospitality chiefs said they do not have the technology to scan COVID vaccine passports and do not know how to check QR codes produced by the National Health Service (NHS) app as proof of double vaccination, immunity or a recent negative COVID test.
UK’s Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced on July 12 that businesses and large events would be “encouraged” to use the NHS COVID Pass in “high risk settings.”
The COVID Pass is available through the same general NHS app as the travel certificate. It incorporates test results and naturally acquired immunity from COVID infection in the last six months.
The government has not set out exactly which venues will be encouraged to use the COVID Pass, stating only that it will work with venues that operate “large, crowded settings where people are likely to be in close proximity to others outside their household.” This could refer to pubs, restaurants nightclubs and venues of large events. (Related: England now ready to adopt vaccine passports for mass events.)
Business owners said the vaccine passports could be easily faked because they had not been supplied with the technology to check proof of identity.
A government spokesman said an app to allow businesses to scan QR codes would be released on July 17, just two days before the new guidance takes effect. But industry sources pointed out that many restaurants and pubs do not have QR readers and questioned whether staff would need to use their personal phones.
“It’s just another reason why this scheme is totally unworkable,” said Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality.
“Without being able to scan the QR code, it makes it very difficult to prove this person’s actual COVID status. It won’t work on the door and I don’t know a single one of my members who will be ready to do this on Monday.”...<<<Read The Original Article Here>>>...
