LONDON (Reuters) – Britain is looking at the idea of vaccine passports and discussing the best way to proceed in terms of fairness, said business minister Kwasi Kwarteng.
P&O Cruises said earlier on Wednesday that it would only accept as passengers those who have had the vaccine for trips around the UK this summer, sparking a fresh debate on the issue.
“We are discussing what the best way to proceed is,” Kwarteng told the BBC when asked about the fairness of non-vaccinated people being denied access to hospitality, entertainment and travel.
On travel in particular, Kwarteng said that any policy needed to be driven by the data.
“We are having debates, discussions about travel…but I think what we also have to do is be driven by the data, we’ve got to see how coronavirus develops,” he said.
Rising numbers of COVID-19 infections in some parts of Europe could derail UK plans to re-open international travel routes from mid-May.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by James Davey)
