Almost 29 million people have received their first vaccine dose in Britain already in the fastest rollout in Europe, and there have been calls to open up the economy faster because of the success of the vaccination programme.

Topics: Boris Johnson

Appearing before a committee of senior lawmakers, Johnson said the "basic concept of a vaccine certification should not be totally alien to us", citing how surgeons were required to have a Hepatitis B shot.

Asked whether ordinary citizens going to the pub might need one, he said: "I think that that's the kind of thing that may be up to an individual publicans, it may be up to the landlord."

He told the committee the public had been "thinking very deeply" about such issues.

"People, human beings, instinctively recognise when something is dangerous and nasty to them, and they can see that COVID is collectively a threat and they want us as their government, and me as the Prime Minister to take all the actions I can to protect them." ■