Nightclubs got their orders to close at the end of March last year, before the country was plunged into its first (but not its last) national lockdown.
Despite many industries like gyms and cinemas, returning since then, nightclubs have remained permanently shut.
However, as Freedom Day looms, nightclubs will be reopening, welcoming partygoers once again, despite concerns this could prove a mistake,
We all know that you need ID to enter a club, but will you now need proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result?
Do you need a Covid passport to get into a nightclub?
Though it may depend on each venue, legally, you are not required to show proof of double vaccination or negative test results.
Boris Johnson told a Downing Street press conference that nightclubs and other venues with large crowds are urged to ‘make use of the NHS Covid pass’, adding that it was a ‘matter of social responsibility’ – but it is not a legal requirement, for now.
Many nightclubs have publicly suggested they won’t require clubbers to have a Covid-19 passport to party.
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), said in a statement: ‘We have consistently opposed the use of Covid Passports or Covid Status Certificates for access to industry events and venues, logistically and ethically it presents many issues.
‘This is also supported by the recent Covid Status Certificate report carried out by the government, suggesting that the impact of using this method to mitigate risk would be disproportionate to the public health benefit.’
He added: ‘The government should recognise explicitly that Covid passports are just not viable for large swathes of the night time economy, as their own internal report into the matter concluded.’
Kill could be referring to the fact that many younger people – a core demographic of the nightlife industry – won’t have received both of their doses in line with the vaccine rollout timelines.
How can I get a Covid passport?
The vaccine passport is an NHS Covid-19 Pass that can be requested via the NHS website or NHS app.
People in England can get an NHS Covid-19 Pass two weeks after their second dose of their vaccine, provided both doses were administered in England.
You can also request a pass if you’ve had a negative PCR test or lateral flow test result within 48 hours and have reported the result on the NHS website.
The passes last 48 hours after the test result.
MORE : Hand sanitiser and masks on the dancefloor: How clubbing will look as Covid rules end
MORE : Will I need to wear a face mask at a nightclub or gig after July 19?
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