THE Government’s autumn and winter plan for the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic has been welcomed by Church House, noting that communal worship and life events will not become subject to vaccination certification, even under “Plan B”.The statement recognises “the very positive effects of the vaccination campaign and also the ongoing risks posed by Covid-19”.On Tuesday, the Government announced that all those who had been vaccinated during Phase 1 of the vaccine programme — the over-50s and adults aged 16 to 65 years in an at-risk group — would be offered booster jabs from this month. Those who tested positive and their unvaccinated contacts would still be legally required to self-isolate. Individuals and businesses would eventually be expected to bear the cost of lateral-flow tests (currently available free of charge).A range of “Plan B” measures had also been agreed, in the case of indications that the NHS was at risk of being overwhelmed, including “mandatory vaccine only Covid status certification in certain, riskier settings”. <em>The Times</em> reports that this refers to all indoor venues with 500 or more people, outdoor settings with more than 4000 people, and all settings with more than 10,000 people. Religious services, including weddings and funerals, would be exempt.Compared with this time last year, the Prime Minister said on Tuesday, “our position today is actually more challenging. We have higher levels of daily cases — thousands more. But in many other crucial respects, the British people — all of us, collectively and individually — are incomparably better placed to fight the disease.“We have more than 80 per cent of all over-16s now double-jabbed, double-vaccinated. And we have Covid antibodies in around 90 per cent of the adult population. . .“And the result of this vaccination campaign is that we have one of the most free societies and one of the most open economies in Europe. And that’s why we are now sticking with our strategy.”The Church of England’s official position is that “it would be difficult for it to justify limiting access to church services or organisations on the basis of vaccine passports. Such an approach would run contrary to the principle of the Church being a home and a refuge for all.“Similarly, only in exceptional circumstances is the Church likely to utilise vaccine passports should they become available in order to facilitate additional services to its members or to the wider community, preferring to continue to emphasise existing mitigations.“While the Church is, in principle, opposed to making use of vaccine passports, it should adopt a flexible approach to their limited wider use with the important caveats that such use ought to be demonstrably beneficial to society as a whole, protective of the vulnerable in particular, non-discriminatory in nature and proportionate in use.”
A letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury to our parishes.Click on the link below to read Justin Welby's message.Archbishop Justin expresses joy at the opportunity to serve alongside parishes during his forthcoming visit
Twelve Church of England bishops have accused the government of criminalising “Good Samaritans” who seek to save the lives of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats.The bishops, who speak on asylum and refugee issues within the church, said the nationality and borders bill before parliament is an “affront to justice” by putting the saving of life under a legal penalty.Record numbers of people have crossed the Channel in small boats this summer, including more than 1,500 people last week.Under the bill, migrants could face up to four years in prison. Plans put forward by Priti Patel, the home secretary, will require Border Force vessels to turn back migrant boats rather than bringing passengers safely into the UK.International and maritime law says assistance must be given to people in distress at sea. Article 98 of the UN convention on the law of the sea 1982 mandates that every state requires its ships “to render assistance to any person found at sea in danger of being lost”.Gérald Darmanin, the French interior minister, has said France “will not accept any practice contrary to the law of the sea”.In a letter published by the Guardian, the bishops said: “We are deeply concerned about the government’s approach to migrant crossings of the Channel.”The bill “would criminalise not only attempts to cross the border irregularly, nor even simply people smuggling, but even those who take part in the rescue of boats in distress at sea.“This would require those who see asylum seekers at risk to choose between ignoring a moral imperative (also established in maritime law) to assist them, or to risk prosecution and imprisonment.“This amounts to a criminalisation of the Good Samaritan who did not pass by on the other side, and an affront to justice to put the saving of lives under any sort of legal penalty.“The new ‘turn back’ policy, which will see boats forcibly returned to France, also raises significant moral concerns. It starkly increases the risks at sea and endangers the lives of those attempting the crossing.”Increased security in the Channel “is demonstrably failing to deter attempted channel crossings”. Rather, Channel crossings “are actively being made more dangerous, at greater cost in human life, by the government’s own policies.”A multilateral approach, promoting safe routes and valuing human life and the “dignity of the vulnerable”, was needed, the bishops said.Paul Butler, the bishop of Durham, said: “We agree with the home secretary that we need a better and more efficient asylum process, and we agree on wanting to stop human trafficking.“But the answer is more designated safe routes. The situation in Afghanistan has demonstrated that it’s possible to identify the most vulnerable people, sort out the necessary paperwork and set up safe routes.“In Afghanistan, we have seen the story, seen the horror. With a lot of the folk in Calais, we don’t know their stories. If we did, levels of sympathy and compassion would increase.”
