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Aussies Will Get ‘Vaccination Passports’ When They Get Covid-19 Jab

Aussies Will Get ‘Vaccination Passports’ When They Get Covid-19 Jab

It will be up to states and territories to determine whether proof of vaccination is needed to access supermarkets, pubs and restaurants

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Australia is set to get 'vaccination passports' when the coronavirus jab is rolled out across the country.

It's expected Aussies will get proof of vaccination on their smartphones, as well as a hard copy, with the Australian government still finalising the small details.

The digital version will likely be accessed on the Express Plus Medicare app and the MyGov app.

The vaccination passport will help people access high-risk areas like aged-care homes and hospitals.

Government Services Minister Stuart Robert is excited about the system being rolled out and insists it will be necessary if you want to head overseas.

PA

"Any requirement for borders to open up will require vaccination and it will require the widespread use of assured certificates, and that is what we are talking about today - the Australian assured certificate that Australians can have enormous confidence in," Mr Robert said.

"Importantly for Australians, they can have assurance the certificate they will have will be robust, it will be anchored to them, so they will know it's their certificate, and it will be widely accepted."

Qantas has already indicated it will require passengers to prove they have been vaccinated before they hop on an international flight in the future.

Mr Robert added that the vaccination passport could be required for interstate travel if there are lockdowns in the future, however that will be up to individual states and territories.

They would also be in charge of determining whether a proof of vaccination will be required to access supermarkets, pubs, clubs and restaurants.

PA

"We would be expecting them to issue public health orders if they see fit so I will leave that to the states and territories," Mr Robert said.

"What the federal government does is provide a record of vaccination to Australians should the need be there for Australians to use it. And Australians need to have that record, especially, depending on state public health orders but also when travelling and borders open up again."

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has already highlighted she could introduce that measure.

"I don't ever like to force anybody to do anything," she told Nine Radio.

"But we'd like there to be an incentive system where people are encouraged to have it because it means they can do all these things which they may otherwise not have been able to do."

The Pfizer vaccine is expected to be rolled out across Australia from the end of February and the government has ordered 150 million doses of various vaccines to ensure every Aussie can get the jab.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Australia