Young people have thrown their support behind Covid passports being used for nightclubs, according to a recent YouGov poll.
Despite fierce opposition among some Conservative MPs, it has proved to be a policy supported by 57 per cent of people aged between 18 and 25 in a recent poll.
The same approach may be taken to other settings, including pubs, later this year.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “The prime minister talked about the sort of areas we were considering and nightclubs are where there is significant evidence ... but we’re going to use the coming weeks to look at the evidence, particularly both in the UK and globally, before making a specific decision.”
However, the spokesperson confirmed Boris Johnson was “not keen” to introduce Covid passports in pubs but “will want to consider the evidence” because of the risks involved which include close proximity at night and drinking alcohol.
The new rule for nightclubs and other large crowded venues, such as music venues, means people will have to show proof of double vaccination by the end of September.
The government said it will have offered both jabs to all over-18s by this time.
However, the move for Covid passports to be used to enter clubs has been opposed by some Tory ministers and MPs.
Paul Scully, a business minister, told BBC Radio 4: “I’m not comfortable that government is mandating anything frankly, I’m a very libertarian Conservative, I want to be able to back off, that’s why yesterday was an opportunity for government to back off from so many different things and let people live their lives.”
Sir Charles Walker, vice-chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbench MPs, said: “The government said it wasn’t going to introduce vaccine passports, and is.
“I think it will start with nightclubs then quickly move on to other venues and parts of the hospitality sector. I’m afraid this is just part of the pattern, things are ruled out then a volte-face is done.”
The decision to reopen clubs has raised major concerns after Sir Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser, warned it could lead to “super-spreader” events.
