Once 70 per cent of eligible adults have been fully vaccinated in NSW and the state begins to unlock, vaccination passports will be required to access venues like bars and eateries, the deputy premier John Barilaro has confirmed. The new technology is currently being prepared and a pilot program will be rolled out in early October to ensure that the platform is fully tested and operational by the time lockdown rules begin to ease in mid-to-late October.
The premier Gladys Berejiklian offered some details about how the new technology will work. Vaccination status will be attached to Service NSW profiles and will be part of the QR code check-in process that has now become the norm across Australia. Berejiklian said that the aim was to make the process “as seamless as possible” for both customers and business owners.
The deputy premier John Barilaro is overseeing the creation of the state’s “roadmap” out of lockdown, which is yet to be announced. However, leaked details have suggested that gyms, outdoor dining, and a wider range of retail may be among the first businesses to reopen for fully vaccinated people once 70 per cent of adults are double jabbed.
However, vaccine passports will not be required when lockdown rules slightly ease on September 13. From this date, outside of the hotspot LGAs, a maximum of five individuals who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to gather for outdoor recreation, including picnics. Households inside the LGAs of concern will be allowed to have outdoor recreation including picnics from this date, but will not be allowed to mingle with other households. From September 13 until the vaccine passport is rolled out in October, electronic vaccination certificates, which can be downloaded into a digital wallet, will be required to prove vaccination status.