Sajid Javid announced that 12-15-year-olds can now access the NHS Covid Pass, which will prove their immunity for international travel.
According to the Health Secretary, children aged between 18 and 24 years old will have access to the Pass starting today.
This will enable more people to show their vaccination status when it’s needed, Mr Javid stated.
Steve Brine (Tory ex-health minister) said that the announcement was welcome because it will make international travel easier for families.
However, the announcement could raise concerns about whether the passport may be extended so that children can use it to enter and leave the country.
Sajid Javid, a 12- to 15-year old boy from Pakistan, announced today that they will have access to the NHS Covid Pass for their international travel vaccinations.
According to the Health Secretary, children aged between 18 and 24 years old will have access to the Pass starting today
Mr Javid told the House of Commons this afternoon: ‘From today I can confirm that the NHS Covid Pass is being rolled out to 12 to 15 year-olds for international travel, allowing even more people to be able to prove their vaccine status where it is needed.’
Mr Brine asked Mr Javid: ‘Can I ask him about the NHS Covid Pass being rolled out to 12 to 15-year-olds which is such a welcome announcement and something that the Secretary of State promised this House that he would bring back and I thank him for that.
“How will this work?” Many constituents of mine will travel within the next few weeks, certainly in the week before Christmas.
“How can they get this pass, if they don’t have the NHS app access like adults?”
Javid said, “He is correct that it is an important issue about the Covid Pass.”
“We’ll be posting shortly on the site exactly how it will work, but at the moment it’s being released as a digital pass just like it’s working for adults beginning today.”
It is possible that the announcement could raise concern about the possibility of extending the validity of the passport to require children to show the card when they leave or re-enter the United States.
Children between the ages of 12 and 15 in the UK have received their first doses of the coronavirus vaccination.
As Mr Javid announced that Omicron has been confirmed in 4,713 cases, the announcement was made.
He told MPs: ‘And the UK Health Security Agency estimates that the current rate of, the current number of daily infections are around 200,000.
“Omicron is a Covid 19 variant that represents more than 20% of all cases in England. However, it has already risen to 44% in London. We expect it to be the most dominant Covid 19 variant within the next 48 hours.