Statement: should there be a corona admission ticket?

The government fears that IC capacity may become overloaded if the number of vaccinated people does not increase. The government also wants to ensure that new restrictions are imposed on society in the future. If the number of unvaccinated people does not fall in the near future, a ticket is a serious option as far as the government is concerned.

Corona passes in other countries

In a number of European countries, a corona ticket is nothing new; France, Germany, Italy and Austria have already taken similar measures. The government is particularly concerned about the scenario in which a large proportion of the unvaccinated will become ill, which the healthcare sector would be unable to cope with. In addition, according to the government, the stretch is also removed from society. People are not waiting for tightened (extra strict) corona measures. The pass is presented as an alternative.

This corona pass could take effect from September 25. Until then, the cabinet is busy preparing a law to actually introduce the measure. However, this is not a fait accompli: the House of Representatives has yet to make a decision.

Corona passes are not undisputed: it is seen as a means of coercion and should ensure that more people decide to be vaccinated. The freedom to go where you want without having to justify yourself is restricted, just like during the curfew. Critics point out that the House at an earlier stage a motion by MP Azarkan in which it is explicitly promised that the government would not impose an (indirect) vaccination obligation.

‘No obligation’

According to Minister de Jonge, there is no question of compulsory vaccination: it would only be an incentive. Unvaccinated people are not excluded: they can still participate in public life through tests for access. However, the tests would no longer be offered for free. This, according to critics, is part of the problem: a large proportion of the unvaccinated are people with a non-Western migration background, who often belong to a financially vulnerable group. Using a QR code requires a smartphone that runs the CoronaMelder app, which not everyone has.

It is also not considered fair to place the burden on the nightlife, while operators have already had a hard time financially in the past two years. This measure could deter customers. After all, such a pass would give a false sense of security: vaccinated people can still carry the virus and infect others with it, so critics say it’s not fair to only test unvaccinated people. According to them, it would cause a dichotomy in society, based on gut feeling.

What do you think? Can the cabinet introduce a corona pass to monitor our health and prevent stricter measures? Or is this an unacceptable invasion of our personal freedom?