Plan B: NHS Covid passes needed for nightclubs and events in England from today
A negative lateral flow test can be used to gain entry as well
Last updated 27th May 2022
From today, people must use a Covid pass or have proof of a negative test to gain entry into nightclubs and events in England.
It's the latest rule to be implemented under Plan B, as the Government attempts to limit the spread of the Omicron variant.
Plan B also states that people must work from home if they can, and that face masks must be worn on public transport and in some indoor venues.
From 15 December, the new rules say that nightclubs and events are required by law to check that all visitors aged 18+ have either:
- Proof of full vaccination
- Proof of a negative test in the last 48hrs
- A medical exemption, confirmed by your GP or clinician
These requirements can be shown via a Covid pass on the NHS app , or via email or text if displaying a negative test result.
An NHS Covid pass can be secured two weeks after completing a full course of vaccination (or after a single-dose Janssen vaccine), or with a negative test in the last 48 hours.
You can also obtain a Covid pass if you received a Covid-19 trial vaccine, or if you have a medical exemption confirmed by your GP or specialist.
One of the above requirements must be shown to gain entry to the following places:
- Nightclubs, dancehalls and discotheques.
- Any other venues that are:
- Open between 1am and 5am, serve alcohol during this time, have a dancefloor (or designated space for dancing) and provide music, whether live or recorded, for dancing.
They must also be required for settings where large crowds of people gather, including:
- Indoor events with 500 or more unseated attendees, where those attendees are likely to stand or move around for all or part of the event, such as music venues with standing audiences or large receptions.
- Outdoor events with 4,000 or more unseated attendees, where those attendees are likely to stand or move around for all or part of the event, such as outdoor festivals.
- Any events with 10,000 or more attendees indoor or outdoor, such as large sports and music events.
The Plan B rules and new laws on gaining access to nightclubs and events only apply to those in England -guidance on Covid in the other UK nations can be found here.
What's the rest of Plan B?
The Government has brought in other measures under Plan B in an attempt to slow the spread of Omicron.
On Friday 10 December, face coverings were made compulsory on public transport and in most public indoor venues, such as cinemas, theatres and places of worship.
There will be exemptions in places where it is not practical to wear one, such as when you are eating, drinking or exercising.
From Monday 13 December, people in England were told to work from home if they can.
They may still go into work for access to equipment necessary for their role, or if their role must be completed in person.
The new measures are expected to stay in place for six weeks after they've been implemented, with a review after three.
Will the new rules actually slow Omicron?
Scientists advising the Government have said measures need to be taken to slow the spread of the variant, now considered likely to surpass Delta as the dominant global Covid strain.
Professor Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London, whose data was instrumental to the UK going into lockdown in March 2020, said last week that "case numbers of Omicron are doubling at least every three days, maybe even every two days at the moment, so it's accelerating very fast".
"There is a rationale, just epidemiologically, to try and slow this down, to buy us more time principally to get boosters into people's arms, because we do think people who are boosted will have the best level of protection possible, but also to buy us more time to really better characterise the threat," he said.
Find out more info on Plan B and the new rules on entry to nightclubs and events from the Government's website.
Find out what else is changing in 'Plan B':
Face coverings
Face coverings have already become an added feature of our lives since they were reinstated at the beginning of December, but from Friday 10th December face masks will also be needed indoors in places like cinemas and theatres.
Boris Johnson said rules around the wearing of face coverings would be "further extended" to "most public indoor venues" including theatres and cinemas.
The Prime Minister told a press briefing in Downing Street: "There will of course be exemptions where it is not practical, such as when eating, drinking, exercising or singing."
Working from home
Under the rules of "Plan B", the government has reimposed the need to work from home where possible in order to stem the spread of the virus. This guidance comes into place from Monday 13th December.
Nightclubs
Under the government's "Plan B" , COVID passports will become necessary to get into all nightclubs. This is due to the close proximity people would be to each other in the venue and help to reduce the spread of the virus.
Indoor spaces
Indoor settings that have more than 500 people unseated will require a COVID Pass to enter. Examples of settings that would need attendees to have a COVID Pass would include music venues and large receptions.
Outdoor events
Outdoor events are not exempt from using COVID Passes either. Unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people will need people to have a vaccine pass. This includes outdoor music festivals, such as Glastonbury Festival.
Stadiums
COVID Passes will be needed to get into any event that is expecting more than 10,000 people to attend. This would include major sports events such as football matches, as well as music concerts in arenas.
The Prime Minister said: "The NHS Covid pass can still be obtained with two doses but we will keep this under review as the boosters roll out.
"And having taken clinical advice since the emergence of Omicron, a negative lateral flow test will also be sufficient."