Jab passports are like Brexit: young people suffer, old people profit, says James O'Brien caller
23 April 2021, 13:50 | Updated: 23 April 2021, 14:10
Travel rule is 'another injustice' for young while old proffer
This caller in his thirties branded the potential new travel rule, where one can only board a flight with a Covid jab passport, yet another "injustice" for young people, adding to Brexit and unaffordable housing.
Boris Johnson is aiming for Covid certificates to provide proof of vaccination as early as May 17, reports suggest, which will end the travel ban ahead of the summer holidays.
People in their 20s and 30s are expected to have their first jab dose by the end of July, two months after some European countries are set to welcome British holidaymakers onto their beaches.
"The international travel unfairness pill would be a smidge easier to swallow if there was a notion of reciprocal solidarity between the generations," said caller Victor, "the sacrifices young people are making, I don't think they're going to be repaid or thanked by the elderly.
"The only the young are going to get is the message of tough, suck it up, just like they have to suck up everything else that's been shovelled their way by the older voter."
Victor gave the examples of Brexit, high student fees and unaffordable housing.
Boris Johnson outlines plans for trialling Covid vaccine passports
James reflected that this is the "okay Boomer" argument, referring to those between the ages of 57 and 75, and asked, "What would reciprocity look like?"
Victor suggested that as Boomers have affordable housing and gold-plated pensions, they could "consider sacrificing some of their unearned housing wealth."
James reasoned that young people couldn't ask older people to give up their house in exchange for going on holiday.
"Or maybe at the next elections vote for something other than lower taxes and higher house prices and perpetuity," he said.
James said, "There have been few more frustrating experiences in the context of the generation gap than speaking to people who think the world is just like it was when they were your age. I might speak to someone in their seventies who say well you've just got to work harder.
"That's where the ludicrous arguments 'they spend all their money on avocado on toast' come from."
