Closed call for evidence

COVID-Status Certification Review - Call for evidence - now closed

Updated 29 March 2021

The government is reviewing whether COVID-status certification could play a role in reopening our economy, reducing restrictions on social contact and improving safety.

COVID-status certification refers to the use of testing or vaccination data to confirm in different settings that individuals have a lower risk of getting sick with or transmitting COVID-19 to others. Such certification would be available both to vaccinated people and to unvaccinated people who have been tested.

The government will assess to what extent certification would be effective in reducing risk, and its potential uses in enabling access to settings or relaxing COVID-secure mitigations.

The government is looking to consider the ethical, equalities, privacy, legal and operational aspects of a potential certification scheme, and what limits, if any, should be placed on organisations using certification.

We are issuing this call for evidence to inform this review into COVID-status certification, to ensure that the recommendations reflect a broad range of interests and concerns. We welcome views from all respondents.

How to respond

The call for evidence is open for 2 weeks from Monday 15 March to Monday 29 March. Please submit your response by email to: certification.cfe@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

You can respond either with text in an email or with attachments to an email. There is no requirement for each response to cover every question: please respond to the questions which are most relevant to you and your expertise. Responses do not need to be exhaustive - we welcome short responses that provide relevant comments.

Questions

Question 1

Which of the following best describes the capacity in which you are responding to this call for evidence?

I am a:

a) Business that owns or operates a venue that may make use of a potential certification scheme

b) Business with an interest in supporting a potential certification scheme

c) Other type of business

d) Business representative organisation or trade body

e) Representative of central or local government

f) Charity or social enterprise

g) Individual

h) Academic or researcher

i) Legal representative

j) Trade union or staff association

k) Other (please specify)

Question 2

In your view, what are the key considerations, including opportunities and risks, associated with a potential COVID-status certification scheme? We would welcome specific reference to:

a) clinical / medical considerations

b) legal considerations

c) operational / delivery considerations

d) considerations relating to the operation of venues that could use a potential COVID-status certification scheme

e) considerations relating to the responsibilities or actions of employers under a potential COVID-status certification scheme

f) ethical considerations

g) equalities considerations

h) privacy considerations

Question 3

Are there any other comments you would like to make to inform the COVID-status certification review?