FACT CHECK The NHS isn’t asking for payment for Covid-19 vaccination passes
Scam emails that look like they are from the NHS are asking people to pay money for a digital pass in order to show your vaccination status.
These emails are not from the NHS, and you do not have to pay any money for an NHS Covid Pass. Several police forces have warned that this is a scam.
A free NHS Covid Pass to demonstrate Covid-19 vaccination status does exist, and it can be used when travelling abroad to some countries or attending trials of some large events in England.
Contrary to claims in the scam email, the government website says that it is likely that, in addition to having an NHS Covid Pass, you may still have to take Covid-19 tests or isolate on arrival.
Anyone who receives a suspicious email can report it by forwarding the email to [email protected].
A fake ‘leaked memorandum’ purportedly from Imperial epidemiologist Professor Neil Ferguson is circulating on social media.
The document claims to be a ‘memo’ from Professor Ferguson, discussing plans for a “Permanent Lockdown of the UK”.
Imperial College London has made a statement describing it as an “obvious fake” which was not written by Professor Ferguson, and said that some people have threatened and abused Imperial staff.
The document does appear to be an obvious fake. Telltale signs include there being no credible source, and obviously false claims including describing a new variant of the virus as “just a re-branding of Hay Fever”.
It was reported by several news outlets that the WHO is trying to ban women of childbearing age from drinking alcohol.
This is not accurate. The claims have arisen after the release of a first draft of the WHO’s Global alcohol action plan 2022-2030, that says: “appropriate attention should be given to prevention of drinking among pregnant women and women of childbearing age”.
It is not exactly clear what “appropriate attention” to “prevention of drinking among [...] women of childbearing age” means here, but the WHO told us the draft does not recommend abstinence of all women who are of an age at which they could become pregnant.
We asked the WHO to clarify, but it said the plan being reported on by the media was a “first draft” and “several rounds of consultations” are due to take place before the final plan is released.
