As you are aware, the Plan B measures that were enacted when the Omicron variant began to dominate, which mandated the use of COVID-status certification in certain settings, have been removed - ending the compulsory use of COVID-status certification in England.
Further, as part of the plan to live with COVID, the Government is now removing all remaining domestic restrictions in England. As part of this, from 1 April, the Government will no longer recommend the use of voluntary COVID-status certification.
I believe the reasonable and proportionate measures outlined in Plan B, including COVID-status certification, helped slow the spread of the virus and enabled us to deliver the fastest booster programme in Europe.
However, I appreciate the argument about civil liberties and the use of COVID-status certification but the Government only mandated certification in certain venues and a negative lateral flow test remained sufficient proof. I want to take back our freedoms, as we all do, and I believe that use of the NHS COVID Pass in higher risk settings was a socially responsible approach.
The NHS COVID Pass allows people to safely and securely demonstrate their COVID-19 status through vaccination or a negative lateral flow test. I fully appreciate that those who are vaccinated can still be infected and may still transmit COVID-19 to others but I believe the vaccination plays an important role in slowing the spread of the virus. This is particularly the case in settings where large numbers of people are likely to gather for prolonged periods.