Welsh nightclubs to require proof of vaccination or negative test for entry from October

In the latest announcement from the Welsh Government, the brand new review of Covid-19 restrictions state that from the 11th of October, people in the country will have to show a Covid Pass to be able to enter nightclubs. This pass is given to people who have proof of being fully vaccinated or have received a negative lateral flow test within the last 48 hours.

The new Covid Pass rules will also apply to over 18s who wish to attend indoor non-seated events for more than 500 people, outdoor non-seated events for more than 4,000 people and any event with more than 10,000 attendees such as music festivals. The use of a covid pass or equivalent has been a constant cause of controversy throughout the pandemic, with a recent survey stating that 69% of night-time businesses saying they would find the use damaging, however, with cases continuingly to sharply rise in the country, Mark Drakeford, the first minister of Wales defended the government’s decision when he stated:

“To avoid having to take more intrusive measures to deal with coronavirus, we want to do everything we can do now to keep Wales open and keep Wales safe. – The very strong advice we have from our scientific advisers is to take early action to prevent infections from increasing further. The last thing we want is further lockdowns and for businesses to have to close their doors once again.”

The news follows that of the announcement from neighbouring Scotland and of many countries across Europe the likes of the Netherlands and France who have also adopted the use of a Covid Pass. However, it should be noted that the concept has been scrapped in England. You can read all of the Covid guidelines in Wales via the Welsh Government website here.

Image Credit: Clwb Ifor Bach (Via Facebook)