New research by myGP suggests that 92% of independent business owners are considering inviting customers who can prove their vaccination status back as soon as possible at capacity events.
The independent GP booking app said it has been inundated with enquiries from small business owners after announcing its intention to provide the English public with a vaccination verification status via their smartphone.
Currently planned for release in February, the myGP TICKet will allow businesses whose viability depends upon operating at capacity – such as the retail, leisure, the arts and hospitality sectors – the ability to open either full or part-time to vaccinated individuals, without the need to observe strict social distancing rules.
The business said its aim is to also reduce administrative burden on GPs, who will likely be busy with requests for verification of vaccination status as people begin to return to everyday life around the country.
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Tobias Alpsten, Founder of myGP said: “There are more than six million businesses on their knees in the UK today, which not only impacts the economy, but also the mental and physical health of their owners and employees.
“Many of the businesses we have spoken with about introducing ‘temporary access events’ for vaccinated customers are calling it a short-term lifeline - a way to get the tills ringing as soon as possible, as they make a slow return to a ‘new normal’.
“Considering that 38% of people in the UK aged 75-84 and 59% of those aged 85+ live alone, getting out, once fully vaccinated, is going to be a vital part of their health and social recovery, which will help to alleviate the strain on the UK’s NHS and social care system.”
Upon learning that a vaccine had been approved, myGP asked 2,000 adults if they intended to have the vaccine, of which 31% said no.
However, of this group, 23% said they could be swayed to have the vaccine if it meant they could attend live events and other activities without strict social distancing measures in place.
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Leicester resident Mildred Stubbs, aged 83, added that she and her husband Joseph “have been isolating since the pandemic began” and “are itching to get back out there when it is safe to do so.”
“We have both had two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, and are feeling great and raring to get back to a normal life. Our physical and mental health has severely suffered – not being able to go out to walk our dog, or to shop makes a big difference, and not seeing our four children has been heart-breaking.
“We are both very savvy with our technology, even more so since the start of Covid, so we’ve downloaded the app ready to prove our vaccine status.”
The new vaccination status feature will display, within the patient profile page of the myGP app, whether a patient is sufficiently protected from COVID-19; illustrated via a few personal details and a green tick, which will appear 21 days following the final vaccine dose, when a patient is considered protected from the virus.
This ‘tick’ will act as a clinically assured means of proving one’s vaccination status, displayed in real-time, generated directly from a patient’s medical record.
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Businesses and NHS patients can register here to be notified when the myGP TICKet technology is live: www.myGP.com/ticket
