NHS app to be used as vaccine passport from 17 May

The new update for NHS app will come with the feature to show Covid-19 vaccine records for those in England

People in England who have received two doses of Covid-19 jab and want to travel overseas will be able to use the NHS app as a vaccine passport from 17th May, the government has announced.

The BBC reports that the vaccine passport feature on the NHS app would be included on Monday, when the UK's ban on foreign travel is lifted.

The new update will come with the feature to show Covid-19 vaccine records, so there should be no need to contact GPs.

"You can access the app through mobile devices such as a smartphone or by tablet. Proof of your COVID-19 vaccination status will be shown within the NHS App," the government said this week.

Those who don't use a smartphone will be able to get a paper version to confirm their vaccination status by calling 119, but not through a GP, the government said.

The government website also advises people to register to use the app at least two weeks before foreign travel.

The NHS app is different from the NHS Covid-19 app, which is used for contact tracing. Currently, people can use the NHS app to access a range of NHS services, such as arranging appointments to see a doctor, requesting repeat prescriptions, viewing medical records, organ donation preference, etc.

So far, the feature is available to people registered with a GP in England only.

The number of registered NHS App users has increased from 91,000 to over 220,000 since September 2019, according to NHS Digital.

In a coronavirus briefing last week, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that he was working with overseas partners to ensure that NHS Covid-19 passports were recognised globally.

Shapps also announced the names of 12 countries that will be on the UK's 'green' travel list and which will not require quarantine on return. However, not all these destinations currently allow tourists from the UK.

The list will be reviewed every three weeks, and new destinations may be added next month if their coronavirus rates drop.

Most European countries are expected to make it mandatory for British travellers to show a digital vaccination certificate when they reopen their borders. Holiday-goers will need to present evidence they have been vaccinated, have antibodies to the virus, or have received a recent negative Covid-19 test.

The government move to allow NHS app use as vaccine passport comes amid warnings from privacy groups that the technology could lead to identifiable medical information of people being exposed.

A recent study by campaign group Big Brother Watch has concluded using the NHS app for Covid vaccine certificates "comes with a significant further privacy risk due to the wealth of other personal information available within it, from prescriptions to addresses, and these issues are yet to be addressed."

In April, 78 MPs and 11 lords announced their support for Big Brother Watch's campaign against the use of COVID-19 certificates.

Campaign group Liberty is also opposing use of Covid certificates.

"We oppose the divisive and discriminatory use of Covid status certification to deny individuals access to general services, businesses or jobs," it said.