The NHS app may not be ready for use as a vaccine passport when international travel resumes, Downing Street has admitted.
Holidaymakers visiting most popular foreign destinations will be required to show evidence that they have been vaccinated, received a recent negative test or have coronavirus antibodies.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has previously said the NHS app – which is currently used to book medical appointments and order repeat prescriptions – will be able to display evidence that someone in England has been vaccinated or tested.
But the Prime Minister’s official spokesman indicated that officials are working on alternative plans for when international travel resumes, which is expected on May 17 for people in England.
“Mr Shapps set out the approach we are looking to take,” the spokesman said.
“Obviously we will be able to confirm ahead of the 17th at the earliest what measures are used for those initial countries that are available for travel, be it the app or another approach.”
The spokesman added: “There are other routes to achieving the same end-goal. We are working on the app at the moment, at pace, to have it ready, and we will be able to confirm ahead of the 17th at the earliest what approaches we will be using.”
