Allow us to have vaccine passports, say Express & Star readers

Almost two thirds (63 per cent) of respondents to our latest lockdown survey said they would support plans to issue documents proving who has had the jab.

The potential for a UK-wide vaccine passport scheme is under Government review until June, with Boris Johnson set to provide an update on its progress next month.

It could see passports issued to people who have been vaccinated against Covid, and be used to gain entry into pubs, restaurants and shops, as well as to travel abroad. Ministers have said that the option of allowing people to show a negative test to enter venues was also being considered, while any passport could also show immunity levels.

Supporters say the move will help businesses make a swifter recovery from the pandemic, while critics warn it will penalise those who choose not to take a vaccine.

Warley MP John Spellar said vaccine passports may be “inevitable” as a “pathway back to normality”, as many businesses had been left on the brink of collapse due lockdown restrictions.

He said: “Vaccine passports that enable businesses to open earlier, stay open and keep the whole supply chain going may be something that we have to seriously consider.”

Mr Johnson said there were “difficult issues, moral complexities, ethical problems that need to be addressed” regarding vaccine passports, and said it would only be fair to consider implementing them at such a time when “absolutely everybody had been offered a vaccine”.

The latest NHS vaccination figures show that more than 29 million people have now received a first dose of a Covid vaccine, including more than 500,000 in the West Midlands.

Last week MPs voted to extend coronavirus laws for a further six months, despite a rebellion from 35 Tories and opposition from 21 Labour MPs, including Mr Spellar.

Our survey saw overwhelming support for the continuation of lockdown measures, with 63 per cent in favour of keeping restrictions in place.

And around three in five people (61 per cent) were against the idea of speeding up the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown.

More than 4,000 readers took part in the survey, which asked 10 questions on the key issues facing the country as restrictions start to ease.

With Covid infection rates rising sharply across parts of Europe, two-thirds of respondents were in favor of a blanket ban on foreign travel until the pandemic subsides.

The figures showed 65 per cent in favour of a strict travel ban while 51 per cent said they feared a new wave from Europe hitting Britain’s shores.

Less than one quarter (23 per cent) were in favour of lifting all travel restrictions.

Johnson preferred to Starmer

Meanwhile Boris Johnson has been backed to lead Britain’s post-Covid recovery – despite concerns over the handling of the pandemic.

The majority of respondents to the Express & Star survey felt the PM was best placed to lead the nation as it bids to bounce back, although nearly half thought the Government had handled the crisis badly.

It marks a big vote of ‘no confidence’ for Sir Keir Starmer, with just two in five people believing he could do a better job than Mr Johnson.

The Labour leader has struggled to make an impact on voters since succeeding Jeremy Corbyn in April 2020, with poor personal ratings and his party lagging behind the Tories in the polls.

Mr Johnson received 61 per cent of votes for being best placed to lead the country, with Sir Keir on 39 per cent. But only 16 per cent thought the Government had handled the pandemic well, with 37 per cent saying it had “done its best” and 47 per cent saying ministers had performed badly.

Just over two in five people (43 per cent) believe we have the pandemic under control, while one in five (21 per cent) say the situation is “perilous”.

The survey also saw just over half of people (53 per cent) saying their mental health had been affected in the past year, while there were split views looking to the future, with 51 per cent feeling pessimistic.