UK drawing up plans for Covid-19 certificates for office workers
The UK is reportedly weighing up plans to launch Covid vaccine certificates for white collar workers, which could allow people to go back to the office in large numbers later this year.
A review led by Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove on the future of office working is considering implementing the certificates, which would likely allow a testing option for those who have not been vaccinated.
Boris Johnson said last week that pubs later this year may be able to turn away customers who have not been vaccinated or had a recent negative Covid test.
It has since been reported that this would allow pubs and other hospitality venues to not have to follow social distancing rules.
The Financial Times reports that a similar system could be put in place for office workers, many of whom have been working virtually for the past year.
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Gove is expected to release findings early next month, after having a series of meetings with business leaders this month.
A survey from the Chartered Institute of Management showed firms could be open to such certificates, with more than half saying Covid vaccines should be mandatory for those who want to return to office working.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak last week spoke about the need for white collar workers to get back to the office and reinvigorate central business districts across the country.
He told the Daily Telegraph that people must be allowed to go back to the office or they might “vote with their feet” and quit.
It comes as Santander announced last week that it was shifting more than 5,000 jobs to permanent working from home arrangements.
Sunak said businesses needed the office to facilitate “meetings that happen by chance” and “people riffing off each other”.