Countries wondering whether to have vaccine passports   (1st March, 2021)

Governments around the world may create "vaccine passports" to help open up societies. The passport would be a record of the holder having had the COVID-19 vaccine. It could be downloaded on a smartphone or it could be added to the microchip in identity cards. Businesses such as restaurants and theatres might require people to show their passport before they enter. People may also need one to enter venues to watch sporting events. Supporters of the passports say it would also allow people to travel overseas more easily. The World Health Organization is looking at a possible international scheme. This would require countries to agree on what kind of passport is necessary.

Opponents of vaccine passports say they are unfair and could create inequality in society. Many people do not want the vaccine. Some people say it goes against their religion. Other people do not trust the vaccine and say it has not been tested enough and is therefore unsafe. Some people worry about the security of their health data. These people may not be able to go to restaurants or get on airplanes. Israel's Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said anyone unwilling or unable to get the jab will be "left behind" in life. In addition, the vaccine is not available to everyone in the world. A human rights professor said: "For many low-income countries, most people won't be vaccinated for many years."

 

 

 

PROBLEMS: What problems does COVID-19 pose for these things? How can we deal with them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Problems	Solutions
Restaurants
Schools
Airlines
Pubs
Cinemas
Sports venues

 

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

1.	society	a.	Need to be able to do something.
2.	record	b.	A large-scale plan.
3.	identity	c.	All of the people living together as a community (in a country).
4.	require	d.	The fact of being who or what a person or thing is.
5.	venue	e.	Information to show an action has happened.
6.	supporter	f.	The place where something happens, like a sports event of concert.
7.	scheme	g.	A person who approves of and encourages someone or something.

    Paragraph 2

8.	opponent	h.	Unfairness that exists between different groups of people.
9.	inequality	i.	The belief in a personal God or gods.
10.	religion	j.	Facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis.
11.	trust	k.	A person who disagrees with an idea.
12.	security	l.	Money received from working or other things.
13.	data	m.	The state of being free from danger or threat.
14.	income	n.	Belief in the truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

1. Governments want to open up societies with vaccine passports.     T / F
2. The passport will only be put on smartphones.     T / F
3. People will not need a vaccine passport to go into a restaurant.     T / F
4. The WHO already has a vaccine passport that countries can use.     T / F
5. Some people say a vaccine passport will create inequality.     T / F
6. Some people do not want the vaccine on religious grounds.     T / F
7. Israel's health minister said those without avaccine will be left behind.     T / F
8. The vaccine is available to everyone in the world.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. record
2. enter
3. overseas
4. scheme
5. necessary
6. inequality
7. trust
8. security
9. unwilling
10. available

1. abroad
2. hesitant
3. required
4. believe in
5. documentation
6. safety
7. plan
8. go in
9. at hand
10. imbalance

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1. create "vaccine passports" to help
2. a record of the holder having had
3. it could be added to the microchip
4. People may also need one to enter
5. agree on what kind
6. they are unfair and could create
7. Some people say it goes against
8. it has not been tested enough and
9. unwilling or unable
10. the vaccine is not available

1. their religion
2. venues
3. of passport is necessary
4. the COVID-19 vaccine
5. to get the jab
6. is therefore unsafe
7. in identity cards
8. inequality in society
9. to everyone
10. open up societies

 

 

 

 

 

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

overseas
necessary
open
scheme
require
having
venues
identity

Governments around the world may create "vaccine passports" to help (1) _____________________ up societies. The passport would be a record of the holder (2) _____________________ had the COVID-19 vaccine. It could be downloaded on a smartphone or it could be added to the microchip in (3) _____________________ cards. Businesses such as restaurants and theatres might (4) _____________________ people to show their passport before they enter. People may also need one to enter (5) _____________________ to watch sporting events. Supporters of the passports say it would also allow people to travel (6) _____________________ more easily. The World Health Organization is looking at a possible international (7) _____________________. This would require countries to agree on what kind of passport is (8) _____________________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

religion
data
vaccinated
tested
unwilling
unfair
airplanes
available

Opponents of vaccine passports say they are (9) _____________________ and could create inequality in society. Many people do not want the vaccine. Some people say it goes against their (10) _____________________. Other people do not trust the vaccine and say it has not been (11) _____________________ enough and is therefore unsafe. Some people worry about the security of their health (12) _____________________. These people may not be able to go to restaurants or get on (13) _____________________. Israel's Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said anyone (14) _____________________ or unable to get the jab will be "left behind" in life. In addition, the vaccine is not (15) _____________________ to everyone in the world. A human rights professor said: "For many low-income countries, most people won't be (16) _____________________ for many years."

Comprehension questions

1. What do world governments want to open up?
2. What does the article say the vaccine passport could be added to?
3. What kinds of events might people might need vaccine passports for?
4. What does the article say vaccine passports would make it easier to do?
5. Who is looking into an international scheme?
6. What do opponents say vaccine passports would create in society?
7. What do vaccine passports go against with some people?
8. What are some people worried about the security of?
9. Who said not getting the jab might leave people behind?
10. Who talked about vaccines and people in poorer countries?

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

Governments around the world (1) ____ create "vaccine passports" to help open up societies. The passport would be a record of the holder (2) ____ had the COVID-19 vaccine. It could be downloaded on a smartphone or it could be (3) ____ to the microchip in identity cards. Businesses such as restaurants and theatres might require people to show their passport before they (4) ____. People may also need one to enter venues to watch sporting events. Supporters of the passports say it would also allow people to travel overseas more (5) ____. The World Health Organization is looking at a possible international scheme. This would require countries to agree (6) ____ what kind of passport is necessary.

Opponents of vaccine passports say they are unfair and could (7) ____ inequality in society. Many people do not want the vaccine. Some people say it (8) ____ against their religion. Other people do not trust the vaccine and say it has not been tested (9) ____ and is therefore unsafe. Some people worry about the security of their health data. These people may not be able to go to restaurants or get on airplanes. Israel's Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said anyone (10) ____ or unable to get the jab will be "(11) ____ behind" in life. In addition, the vaccine is not available to everyone in the world. A human rights professor said: "For many low-income countries, most people won't be (12) ____ for many years."

Which of these words go in the above text?

1. (a)     be     (b)     have     (c)     may     (d)     do    
2. (a)     having     (b)     doing     (c)     being     (d)     taking    
3. (a)     added     (b)     add     (c)     addition     (d)     adds    
4. (a)     enter     (b)     entry     (c)     entrance     (d)     enters    
5. (a)     easiest     (b)     easier     (c)     easy     (d)     easily    
6. (a)     of     (b)     at     (c)     in     (d)     on    
7. (a)     create     (b)     creation     (c)     creation     (d)     creating    
8. (a)     does     (b)     takes     (c)     comes     (d)     goes    
9. (a)     enough     (b)     suffice     (c)     plenty     (d)     ok    
10. (a)     unwanted     (b)     unwilling     (c)     unknown     (d)     unfair    
11. (a)     come     (b)     left     (c)     go     (d)     up    
12. (a)     vaccinated     (b)     vaccines     (c)     vaccine     (d)     vaccination

Put the words in the right order

1. passports   .   create  the  vaccine   world   around   may   Governments
2. of   the   holder   having   record   vaccine   .   A   the
3. to   It's   added   microchip   cards   .   the   identity   in
4. one   People   to   enter   venues   .   need   also   may
5. necessary   .   what   Agree   of   kind   on   is   passport
6. vaccine   they   say   passports   of   are   unfair   .   Opponents
7. say   religion   .   goes   their   against   people   Some   it
8. about   the   health   data   .   Worry   security   of   their
9. visit   able   not   may   People   restaurants   .   to   be
10. won't   be   for   vaccinated   people   years   .   many   Most

 

Spelling

Paragraph 1

1. to help open up sstoeciei
2. added to the microchip in tntiieyd cards
3. enter nevesu to watch sporting events
4. travel srasevoe
5. a possible international scmhee
6. what kind of passport is ecearsnys

Paragraph 2

7. unfair and could create tiuialqeyn
8. it goes against their elnogiri
9. people worry about the ueycrsti
10. wuninigll or unable to get the jab
11. not blaiaealv to everyone
12. most people won't be dnvciatcea