Using the NHS App as a covid-19 vaccine passport
BMJ 2021; 373 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n1178 (Published 11 May 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;373:n1178Read our latest coverage of the coronavirus pandemic
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Dear Editor,
Many of the potential issues raised in this article seem to have been subsequently addressed. A new update to the app has added an additional section where a person’s vaccination status can be displayed, without revealing other sensitive data or depending on GP records [1]. To address the issues of exacerbating the “digital divide”, people without access or knowledge of how to use a smartphone or tablet to run the app can request a paper version [2].
The issue not raised in this article is the potential for this app to be used as a domestic covid passport. Whilst the UK Government has ruled out requiring Covid passports to access essential shops, public services, and public transport, it has not ruled out introducing it in other areas such as pubs, restaurants, and large events [2]. Studies have shown that vaccine hesitancy is higher in people from some ethnic minorities [3], and vaccine uptake lower [4]. To avoid widening societal inequalities and a reduction in civil liberties, domestic covid passports require careful consideration and debate before their introduction.
[1] BBC News. NHS app ready to become vaccine passport next week. 2021. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57070185
[2] BBC News. What is a Covid passport and what are the plans for the NHS app?. 2021. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-55718553
[3] Royal Society for Public Health. New poll finds BAME groups less likely to want COVID vaccine. 2020. https://www.rsph.org.uk/about-us/news/new-poll-finds-bame-groups-less-li...
[4] MacKenna B, Curtis HJ, Morton CE, et al. Trends, regional variation, and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 vaccine recipients: a retrospective cohort study in 23.4 million patients using OpenSAFELY.medRxiv2021. [Preprint.] https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.25.21250356v1
Competing interests: No competing interests
Re: Using the NHS App as a covid-19 vaccine passport
Dear Editor,
We thank Frank Preston for his response to our article. He is correct when he says that some of the issues we identified in our article on using the NHS app as a vaccine passport have been addressed.[1] Problems, however, with the app still remain. For example, some people report that the app does not show their vaccine status even though they have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. There is also a problem for people who received their vaccinations overseas as these are not currently shown in the app even after their vaccinations have been recorded in their electronic primary care medical record.
Preston also raises the issue of the NHS app exacerbating current health inequalities. This is an issue we discussed in a previous article.[2]
Azeem Majeed, Simon Hodes
References
1. Hodes S, Majeed A. Using the NHS App as a covid-19 vaccine passport BMJ 2021; 373 :n1178 doi:10.1136/bmj.n1178
2. Osama T, Razai M S, Majeed A. Covid-19 vaccine passports: access, equity, and ethics BMJ 2021; 373 :n861 doi:10.1136/bmj.n861
Competing interests: No competing interests