Clubs and festivals in England encouraged to use NHS Covid Pass for entry

With under a week to go now until the UK’s full reopening from the latest COVID-19 lockdown, the UK Government has finalised details around nightlife.

As was already confirmed last week, nightclubs and festivals in England will be able to return at full capacity from Monday, 19th July. No other restrictions around nightlife have been confirmed in law, but the Government is “encouraging” larger and “higher-risk” events to use the NHS COVID Pass as a condition of entry as a means of keeping a handle on increasing COVID-19 rates.

The Government hasn’t fully clarified what constitutes a “higher-risk” event, but a Government webpage offers a description of “large crowded settings where people are likely to be in close proximity to others outside their household”. 

The NHS COVID Pass will be available via the NHS app and website, or as a physical letter. If a promoter introduces the requirement to get into a festival or club event, attendees will have to show either a recent negative test result, a positive antibody test or proof of a second vaccination at least ten days before the event, as per a report by The Guardian.

As well as encouraging use of the NHS Covid Pass, the Government is underlining its message that nightlife businesses should continue to follow official hygiene guidance in order to help combat the spread of COVID-19. Those who test positive for the virus must also continue to isolate for 10 days from receiving their test result or first experiencing symptoms, and that will remain in law beyond 19th July. 

Read our recent feature on the plan to reopen clubs from 19th July here.