Local MP, Steve Brine, has led a successful campaign to improve young people’s experience of travel over the coming months.
Mr Brine first raised the difficulties of travel for young people, especially teenagers, with the Prime Minister on Wednesday 19th January and after a quick turnaround the Government has confirmed a change in policy.
Speaking during a statement from the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, Steve said; “I warmly welcome the excellent, excellent Secretary of State's announcement today which puts inbound international travel in the best place it's been for two years.
I am especially grateful as he knows, an issue I raised in the House last week with the Prime Minister, as will many of my constituents be with half term/Easter plans, that 12–15-year-olds will now be able to prove their vaccination status.”
Seeking further clarification on his campaign, Mr Brine continued; “He said in his statement via the digital NHS pass, from the 3rd February. So, can I just ask the Secretary of State how practically that will happen, given under 16s cannot currently access the NHS App at all, their barred from accessing it?
And what about young people who've had one jab and a recent infection, how will they be able to prove that, some practical examples please?“
The Secretary of State confirm the Government position, saying; “On the NHS pass he's right that they haven't be able to access it up till now, they will be able to access that in time for half term.
Continuing on to say; “The situation where people have had a jab and caught coronavirus and then are in a position of natural immunity potentially, will continue in the short term to be looked after on a case-by-case basis, but we do recognise this is an issue and I've spoken to the CMO and also the Chief Exec of the UKHSA, as recently as today actually, on this issue and the ideal will be in a February review to move this more towards a system of being able to accept natural immunisation. So, there's more work to be done on a technical level before that's able to happen."
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