Covid passes enforced in England - how do I get one and how do they work?
By Multimedia Producer Wedaeli Chibelushi
From Wednesday, you will need a 'Covid pass' in order to access large venues in England.
The passes are part of Plan B - the government's strategy to tackle a surge in cases of the Omicron variant.
England is the last nation in the UK to bring in the passes - Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland introduced them during the last couple of months.
So what are the contentious passports and how will they be used?
How do Covid pass work in England?
The pass is proof that you've had two doses of an approved vaccine, or negative results from a PCR/lateral flow test taken within the last 48 hours.
The NHS Covid pass will act as a certificate in England, with exemptions for those unable to get jabbed, under-18s and clinical trial participants.Covid passes are required for access to:
Nightclubs
Indoor events with more than 500 attendees, such as music venues
Outdoor settings with more than 4,000 people, such as music festivals
All settings with more than 10,000 attendees, for example, sports stadiums.
How do they work in Scotland?
The pass is proof that you've had two doses of an approved vaccine, or negative results from a PCR/lateral flow test taken within the last 48 hours. There are exemptions for those unable to get jabbed, under-18s and clinical trial participants.
Covid passes are required for:
Late night venues (including nightclubs and bars open after midnight)
Adult entertainment venues
Indoor events with more than 500 attendees, such as music venues
Outdoor settings with more than 4,000 people, such as music festivals
All settings with more than 10,000 attendees, for example, sports stadiums.
How do they work in Northern Ireland?
The pass is proof that you've had two doses of an approved vaccine, negative results from a PCR/lateral flow test taken within the last 48 hours or a positive test within the previous six months. There are exemptions for those unable to get jabbed, under-18s and clinical trial participants.
Covid passes are required for:
Nightclubs
Hospitality venues that serve food and drink
Cinemas, theatres, concert halls and conference centres
Indoor events with more than 500 attendees, such as music venues
Outdoor settings with more than 4,000 people, such as music festivals
All settings with more than 10,000 attendees, for example, sports stadiums.
How do they work in Wales?
The pass is proof that you've had two doses of an approved vaccine, or negative results from a PCR/lateral flow test taken within the last 48 hours. There are exemptions for those unable to get jabbed, under-18s and clinical trial participants.
Covid passes are required for access to:
Nightclubs
Cinemas, theatres and concert halls
Indoor events with more than 500 attendees, such as music venues
Outdoor settings with more than 4,000 people, such as music festivals
All settings with more than 10,000 attendees, for example, sports stadiums.
How do I get one?
You can access your pass via the NHS app or the online NHS Covid Pass service.
If you cannot get a digital pass (for example you don't own a smart phone), an NHS Covid Pass letter can be sent to you by post. If you cannot get vaccinated and/or tested for health reasons, you can apply for a medical exemption. Once your exemption is confirmed, you'll be able to get an NHS Covid Pass.
What happens if I use a fake pass?
If you try to falsify a Covid pass in England, you could be fined £10,000. New laws make it an offence to create, adapt, supply or offer to supply “false evidence of Covid status to another person” which is known to be “false or misleading”.
What is being done to prevent the fraudulent use of Covid passes?
A 'shimmering' effect on digital Covid passes within the NHS app lets venues know they are looking at an active app, rather than a screenshot. Additionally, the QR code on your digital pass also expires after 30 days and must be renewed. Steps have also been taken to detect fraudulent downloaded and printed passes - they are encoded with unique details and would therefore no longer work if doctored.
Anti-fraud measures are similar across the UK, but in Northern Ireland, users on the CovidCert app must upload a ‘selfie’ photo and the QR code updates itself once a minute. Printed certificates must also be presented with photo ID. In Scotland and Wales, photo ID is needed to set the app up.
What happens to venues that do not use them? Venues in England which do not comply with rules on carrying out checks or ignore improvement or closure notices issued by councils could be fined £1,000 in the first instance, reduced to £500 if paid within 14 days. This increases to £2,000 for second offences, £4,000 for third offences and jumping to £10,000 for fourth or any subsequent offences thereafter.Venues in Wales and Northern Ireland could also face a £10,000 if they fail to comply.
How has the Covid pass roll-out gone outside the UK?
Several countries in Europe have already imposed Covid passes.
Italy introduced a 'green pass' in the summer, while France brought in its 'health pass'.
Both countries saw fiery protests by those who saw the passes as a violation of civil liberties or have concerns about vaccine safety. However, vaccination requests have boomed since the passes were brought in.
Countries like Denmark, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands have also followed suit.