IN the end the vote to go ahead with the introduction of what have become known as Covid passports was a convincing one. It was an encouraging reminder as we continue to battle bad faith and worse information that a strong majority of responsible people are willing to do their bit to see us through this latest pandemic challenge.
59 MLAs voted in favour of the passports while 24 – DUP MLAs and the one-man TUV – voted against. The sight of the leading unionist party opposing Covid passports on the grounds of civil liberty is one that’s likely at best to raise a wry smile among those of us who have observed that party’s relentless assault on basic rights over the years – at worst a snort of disgust. This is a party that balks at having to produce a phone to get into pubs and restaurants when they have sided with the Tories on every repressive measure that’s been put forward by the most reactionary and right-wing government Britain has seen for decades. They have voted against pay rises for nurses. They have voted for the vile and racist Nationality and Borders Bill. They have consistently worked to deny the most basic human rights to our LGBTQ+ community. They have tried every trick in the book to block women’s reproductive rights in the North. They have mocked, derided and opposed every move to have the indigenous language of this island given the rights and respect denied to it for so long. And for that party now to declare their love of civil liberty and freedom seems like a joke made in very poor taste.
Moving on from the civil liberty argument, those opposed to passports argue further that the system is ineffective and easily manipulated by those with a desire to do so. Of course this is true; indeed, so easy is it to fake a negative lateral flow test or forge a smartphone passport that virtually everyone who attempts to con the system will succeed, especially given the pressure that venue staff are going to be under during the festive season. But that is entirely – and in the case of just about every politician, deliberately – to miss the point. Yes, of course, proof of vaccination is going to help curtail Covid spread in busy bars and restaurants, but as we all now know, vaccinated people can still infect others (although to a lesser extent). The main purpose of the passport system is to nudge people towards getting vaccinated.
Health Minister Robin Swann is right. Like face masks, hand washing, social distancing and other common sense behaviours, Covid passports are just one part of a suite of responses which together gives us a fighting chance of coping with the expected torrent of Omicron infections during the Christmas season and into the New Year.
We’re facing into the most uncertain and possibly the most dangerous phase of the pandemic to date.When we needed politicians to show a united front and favour public health over private dogma, many have failed us. We urge the majority who have not to continue to do what is needed to keep us safe.
