The NSW State Government has announced that selected business in regional parts of NSW will be picked to undertake a pilot trial of the new covid-19 vaccine passport, as the state aspires to re-open to full vaccinated people during the month of October.
On Wednesday 22nd September, Victor Dominello the NSW Minister for Customer Service announced that the vaccine passport trial would commence on Wednesday 6th October and would run for a two-week period.
The NSW government is still deciding on a region but has ruled out undertaking a trial in Sydney to prevent a “honey pot effect” where citizens flock to selected businesses.
Development around the vaccine passport comes as NSW plans to reach the desired 70 percent double-dose vaccination target by Monday 11th October. The NSW government has committed to lifting a wide range of restrictions once 70 percent of NSW’s population aged over 16 is fully vaccinated.
Victor Dominello acknowledged that the covid-19 vaccine passport won’t be ready in time for the reopening of the state, but asserted that the government is “moving heaven and earth” to ensure it is ready.
The passport technology will mean that vaccine certificates will be integrated into the Service NSW app to enable people to check into venues and provide their vaccination status on one app.
“That way you don’t have to open up several different apps, just to get into a venue, you open up one and at the same time on that same screen will show vaccination status,” said Victor Dominello the NSW Minister for Customer Service.
Security features, such as hologram technology, will be built into the app to stop people from using forged vaccination certificates.
Victor Dominello expects NSW businesses to take “reasonable steps” to make sure citizens are doing the right, but ultimately the responsibility will fall on the individuals.
“The responsibility must rely on individuals, as venues have done it really tough. But businesses will need to take reasonable steps, they can’t just turn a blind eye and if you’re a corner shop you’re going to be less resourced than a big outfit. If an individual wants to do the wrong thing, by going to a false account… there could be jail time there,” said Victor Dominello the NSW Minister for Customer Service.
Small Businesses Are Concerned About Having Confrontations with Unvaccinated Customers
Businesses across covid-19 ravaged parts of New South Wales and Victoria are looking forward to being able to open to more customers when the states that reach their double vaccination targets.
Despite the impending exciting there is also fears of confrontations that will occur with unvaccinated customers who will ultimately be refused entry into their stores.
Business owners in the hospitality industry are still trying to decide what is the best way to deal with unvaccinated customers and how they can get their employees to communicate with these customers will most likely be refused entry.
The NSW Government is currently working on the creation of vaccination passports which will be linked into the QR Code system when a person signs into a venue. This means their immunisation status will be displayed, therefore allowing the patron entry if they have been fully vaccinated.
The government is also working on the relevant legislation and public health order that will underpin everything and make it easier for businesses to have intense conversations with customers.
Business owners are planning to tell unvaccinated customers that “there is a law that will make the business and their management team liable if they are let onto the premises. Don’t blame the business, blame the government as the situation is out of the business owners’ controls”.
By refusing to serve people who haven’t taken the covid-19 vaccinated the business could tell the customer that they are simply following the rules the same way a bottle shop is unable to legally severe a customer who is under the 18 of age.