Prevent any restrictions on those who refuse a Covid-19 vaccination
337,144 people signed this petition to the UK Parliament after it opened on 4 August 2020; it closed on 4 February 2021. The Government responded on 11 September 2020. MPs debated it in Westminster Hall on 14 December 2020.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Prevent any restrictions on those who refuse a Covid-19 vaccination
I want the Government to prevent any restrictions being placed on those who refuse to have any potential Covid-19 vaccine. This includes restrictions on travel, social events, such as concerts or sports. No restrictions whatsoever.
You cannot force someone to have a vaccination, and should not be able to coerce them into it by way of restrictions. We have to the right to assess the risk ourselves as we have done in the past.
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 11 September 2020; the petitions site lists the Department of Health and Social Care as responsible. Its summary:
There are currently no plans to place restrictions on those who refuse to have any potential Covid-19 vaccine.
The response in full:
After clean water, vaccination is the most effective and crucial public health intervention, and a cornerstone of public health that we must not take for granted. It is vital that a significant proportion of people who are offered take up a Covid-19 vaccine in order to protect themselves as well as other vulnerable individuals. Averting a second wave is a key priority for the government and high take up of a vaccine when available will greatly contribute to that.
Immunisations save thousands of lives every year by preventing outbreaks of serious infectious diseases and, in cases such as smallpox and polio, eliminating diseases in the UK altogether. Since the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1968, it is estimated that 20 million cases and 4,500 deaths have been averted in the UK. From 1970 to 2017, it is estimated that rubella vaccination has averted 1,300 babies being born with congenital rubella syndrome and 25,000 terminations. With further innovation and the development of new vaccines, even more lives could be saved.
We believe it is everyone’s responsibility to do the right thing for their own health, and for the benefit of the wider community. There are currently no plans to introduce a Covid-19 vaccine in a way that penalises those who do not take up the vaccine. However, the Government will carefully consider all options to improve vaccination rates, should that be necessary.
The UK has a world class national immunisation programme which is constantly reviewed and updated to reflect the changing nature of infectious diseases and provide the best protection for the public. All vaccines used in the UK are thoroughly tested, meet strict safety criteria and are carefully monitored after they are introduced into the national programme. Our evidence-based immunisation programmes are informed by the advice of our work leading expert committee – the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which reviews a wide range of scientific and other evidence, keeping the vaccine schedule safe and relevant.
Immunisation offers everyone a chance at a healthy life from the earliest beginnings and into old age. It saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognised as one of the world’s most successful and cost-effective health interventions. High uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine is the best way we have, to protect our health, our jobs, and our economy at large.
Department of Health and Social Care
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies on the boundaries used until the 2024 general election. The largest number, 1,968, came from Croydon North.
334,153 of the signatures were from the UK and 2,991 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures |
|---|---|
| Croydon North | 1,968 |
| West Ham | 1,550 |
| Brent Central | 1,448 |
| Lewisham, Deptford | 1,367 |
| Croydon Central | 1,365 |
| Tottenham | 1,319 |
| Streatham | 1,318 |
| Dulwich and West Norwood | 1,255 |
| Lewisham East | 1,236 |
| Vauxhall | 1,209 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| London | 67,458 |
| South East | 42,944 |
| North West | 38,987 |
| East of England | 31,062 |
| West Midlands | 29,188 |
| South West | 25,989 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 23,545 |
| East Midlands | 21,118 |
| Scotland | 16,359 |
| Wales | 12,799 |
| North East | 8,373 |
| Northern Ireland | 7,284 |
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated the petition in Westminster Hall on 14 December 2020. Read the debate in Hansard.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/323442.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
635a56ca4f0f2e31… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.