Monday 21 June is looming and vaccination FOMO is real, especially because not having a jab might seriously impact how freely UK residents can travel, socialise and even drink this summer. In fact, some pubs might even be able to ban you from sinking delicious pints if you haven’t had a vaccination, the Prime Minister suggested yesterday.
Speaking at a Zoom hosted Liaison Committee meeting yesterday, Boris Johnson was asked about the possibility of vaccine passports for pubs and inferred that the government would leave the decision up to the individual pub landlords, rather than enforceable by any actual government policy. “I think that’s the kind of thing that may be up to individual publicans,” the PM said.
In another classic answer to whether we could go to pubs (or on holiday!), Boris Johnson later told the committee: “I think do not underestimate the natural wanderlust, spirit of inquiry, general dynamism of the British people that has served us for hundreds and hundreds of years.” Go girl, give us absolutely nothing!
This “maybe, maybe not!” answer is not what many of us want to hear, considering that the vaccine rollout in the UK is still ongoing but pubs are set to reopen (outside at least) within the next few weeks. After the initial 12 April reopening, “indoor hospitality” will resume from 17 May. So basically, we have about a month and a half left to get jabbed or we could be stuck at home — or in the park — while our grannies take over our locals. No pressure.