University students could be told jabs are required – Raab

Dominic Raab has said university students will get an “advance warning” if they are required to have vaccines before moving to halls of residence. 

Raab said decisions will be taken in September and was keen to continue to encourage vaccine uptake. 

More than 70 per cent of adults have now had both jabs and Mr Raab said “we need to close that margin.”

To go to nightclubs and other crowded venues, the rules state you must have had both jabs. 

The full details of the plan had not yet been released, but the rule is planned to come into effect at the end of September. An NHS Covid Pass will be used as proof. 

When asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme whether the government was in favour of making the vaccine pass compulsory in more settings, he said: “I think the key principle is in crowded places where we want to open up… whether it’s going to a football game or pop concert, we want to make sure people can do that,” he said.

On Uni students being required to have had double jabs for university halls, Mr Raab said: “When we come to the crunch, these decisions will be taken in September. We’ve got some time to go.

“Right the way through this pandemic we’ve had to take advice and decisions based on the evidence when we see it.

“We will certainly make sure university students have advance warning, of course, we’re going to be mindful of this.”

Raab said he had recently visited France, where their vaccination rollout saw a massive takeup after a health pass was introduced for many activities. 

“It’s a little bit of coaxing and cajoling and also making clear that ultimately over September when we know we’ll see as a result of coming out of the lockdown step four an increase in cases, we can control that with backstop safeguard measures.”

He added: “The only steps that we will take in this regard are ones that will maximise the freedom the vast majority of the country want and are hankering to enjoy.”

Latest figures show more than 71 per cent of adults have been double jabbed, while 88% have had their first dose. 

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