14 August 2021. BBC: Fully vaccinated adults across the UK no longer have to self-isolate after being in contact with someone with Covid from Monday 16 August.
Double-jabbed adults can already avoid quarantine when returning to the UK from amber list countries.
You may also need to be able to prove you are fully vaccinated to go to nightclubs and some other venues in England from the end of September.
How are the rules about self-isolation changing?
From 16 August, double-vaccinated adults and under-18s in England and Northern Ireland don’t have to self-isolate if they are identified as a close contact of someone with Covid, as long as they themselves have no symptoms.
These changes have already come into force in Scotland and Wales.
Instead, they will be advised to take a PCR test, with no further consequences if the result is negative. If the result is positive, they will need to self-isolate.
In Wales and Northern Ireland, people are also advised to take further PCR tests on day two and day eight.
What is the NHS Covid Pass and who can get it?
In England you can show that you’re Covid-free with the NHS Covid Pass.
It can be used domestically and for travel if:
- two weeks have passed since your second dose, or
- you have had a positive PCR test result within the past six months, and have finished self-isolating (this pass lasts for 180 days after the result)
You can also use it in England (but not for travel) if:
- you’ve had a negative PCR or lateral flow test result in the past 48 hours – and have reported it on the NHS website (this pass lasts for 48 hours after the result)
How do I get the NHS Covid Pass?
You can download it via the NHS app (not the NHS Covid-19 app), if you are registered with a GP. You can also get it via the NHS website.
Once you are logged in you can select “domestic” and “travel” pass options.
The system generates a QR code, which lasts for 28 days.
You can also request an NHS Covid Pass letter by calling 119. This only shows vaccination status and has no expiry date.
Under-16s can’t get an NHS Covid Pass because most children of this age aren’t being vaccinated.
Make sure you apply via the official website or app. Do not click on unsolicited emails or texts.
How do I prove my vaccination status in the rest of the UK?
Over-16s in Scotland can request a paper copy of their vaccination status via the NHS inform website, or by calling 0808 196 8565. An app is being developed.
You can download the NHS Covid Pass in Wales, or you can request a paper copy by calling 0300 303 5667, at least five days after your final dose.
People in Northern Ireland can apply for the certificate online and use it for travel. Holidaymakers have been asked to use the service only if they are travelling soon, because of technical problems.
Where could I be asked to show I’m fully vaccinated?
Ministers want “higher risk” settings in England – including nightclubs – to use the NHS Covid Pass to allow entry. The government plans to make it law by the end of September – after all 18-year-olds will have had the chance to be fully vaccinated
At present this is not a legal requirement – so clubs don’t have to ask for proof.
Some nightclubs and venues have already started asking customers to confirm their vaccination status – either via the NHS app or by email.
The government has also not ruled out making the jab compulsory for university students in England. It says they will get “advance warning” if they need to be vaccinated before moving to halls of residence.
In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the government was considering “the possible, albeit limited, use of Covid status certification for access to certain higher risk venues in future”.
How can I use it for travel?
The NHS Covid Pass – or equivalents in other parts of the UK – allows fully vaccinated adults to avoid quarantine when they return from amber-list countries.
Adults fully vaccinated in the US and most European countries also don’t have to self-isolate on arrival from amber-list countries. Those vaccinated in the US can show a CDC card and proof of US residency, such as a passport or Green Card.
Proof of vaccination status is also required by some other countries for entry.
The government says more than 30 countries, including Greece and Spain, now accept the NHS pass.
You must check your destination’s entry rules before you book – and keep checking them before you travel.
