Written question asked by Rachael Maskell (Labour) on Thursday, 9 December 2021, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 14 December 2021 (named day). A holding answer was provided on Tuesday, 14 December 2021. A substantive answer was provided by Maggie Throup (Conservative) on Wednesday, 15 December 2021 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the context of transmission of covid-19 being able to occur between people who have been vaccinated, for what reason the Government is introducing the NHS vaccine pass.

Answer: There is a high level of uncertainty about the effectiveness of vaccination against infection or transmission of the Omicron variant. We know that vaccination helps protect against serious illness and hospitalisation in the case of the Delta variant, which continues to circulate. Overall, introducing vaccine or test certification will help reduce risks in these settings when compared with no intervention. However, it will not eliminate the possibility of infectious people attending or transmitting the virus in these settings so individuals should continue to exercise caution.

Secondary information