British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out on Tuesday his plans to manage the COVID-19 pandemic in the winter months, announcing a decision to scrap the introduction of vaccine passports

The British government has abandoned plans to introduce so-called COVID passports in England, and will take steps to end some of its emergency powers that were enacted to fight the pandemic.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will formally set out on Tuesday his plans to manage the crisis in the winter months.

Johnson’s under fire from some in his Conservative Party for raising taxes to fix a health and social care crisis.

Health Minister Sajid Javid said on Sunday that he did not anticipate more lockdowns and that the COVID passports would not be introduced in England.

Under the plan, people would have had to use the passes to prove their vaccination status to enter some venues, such as nightclubs.

The government will depend instead on vaccines and testing to defend the public

Javid also told the BBC he was not “anticipating any more lockdowns” but would not take the measure off the table, and that he wanted to end PCR tests for travelers as soon as possible.

The Night Time Industries Association trade body which represents the nightlife business, welcomed the u-turn.

Britain has one of the highest official COVID-19 death tolls in the world.

But its vaccination rate is also high — latest government figures show 80% of adults have had two vaccine doses.

Reuters