Covid passes: Relief and concern at Wales announcement

Holly Greader, 23, says the passes would give reassurance to people who were at high risk of Covid

Covid passes for nightclubs and large events in Wales have split opinion, with some saying they are reassured by the rules while others are concerned.

People will need to prove they have been vaccinated or had a negative test from 11 October.

Disability blogger Holly Greader said she felt "comforted", but club owners said they could deter people going out.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has said the passes could cut the chances of another lockdown.

Anyone aged over 18 wishing to attend nightclubs or large-scale event will be required to show the pass to prove they are either fully vaccinated or have had a negative lateral flow test result within the last 48 hours.

• How do I get a Covid passport in Wales?

Industry experts warned the passes could stop clubs being able to cash-in on parties over Christmas and New Year after last year's lockdown and restrictions over the festive period.

However, disability campaigners welcomed the news, saying it would help reassure those most at risk of getting seriously ill from Covid-19 when going out and attending festivals, concerts and matches.

Holly Greader, 23, has a number of conditions including hypermobility syndrome, which causes chronic pain

Holly Greader, 23, from Cardiff, who has multiple chronic illnesses, said knowing people had tested negative or where double jabbed would help her feel safer going out in the coming months.

However, the disability campaigner told BBC Radio Wales she felt the rules should be stronger.

She said she believed people should have had both the vaccine and a negative test result to attend events, and that it should be extended to pubs and bars.

But she said it should not bar those who were unable to have the jab.

She said the passes would help give her and others who have been classed clinically extremely vulnerable "comfort", but added it was not just about being able to go out.

"It's about actually keeping ourselves as well as possible going forward... we already have a lot of medical problems and adding Covid to the mix will make us sicker," she said.

"It could lead to a point where we don't get a choice whether we are able to go out because our health has decided that for us."

First Minister Mark Drakeford made the announcement as part of the latest review of coronavirus restrictions, despite warnings from a nightclub trade body that the move may damage the nightclub industry.

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in Cardiff Bay have criticised the introduction of the passes, while Plaid Cymru said it was "perplexed" by elements of the plan.

'House parties will increase'

On Saturday, David Chapman, director of UK Hospitality in Wales, warned people would have house parties rather than go out to clubs due to the checks.

He said the impact of the passes was "unclear" and could put the Christmas party season at risk, harming an industry which was "desperate" for the income after months of lockdowns and restrictions.

"This change hasn't come with any sort of detail, we don't know what the repercussions are for pubs becoming nightclubs, or what we do about people coming to clubs who don't have the accreditation," he said.

"There is so much uncertainty that the industry now has to try to resolve in a period of three weeks - that doesn't help viability."

When do I need to show my pass?

The Welsh government says the technology already exists to check Covid passes

Anyone who is aged over 16 and has been fully vaccinated in Wales or England, or has had a negative lateral flow test result within the last 48 hours, can get the digital NHS Covid pass.

However they will only be compulsory for anyone over 18 to enter:

• Nightclubs

• Indoor no-seating events with more than 500 people

• Outdoor no-seating events with more than 4,000 people

• Any event with more than 10,000 people, including sporting events

Passes are also a way of proving you do not need to self-isolate if you have been identified as a close contact of a positive Covid case, and can be used when travelling abroad.

IT issues causing delays

A specific offence could be brought in for those who deliberately use fake passes

Concerns have also been raised that IT issues may mean some jabs were not recorded, meaning some people's passes may not be up to date.

Former pub landlord Christine Hire, 61, said she found out her second jab had not been officially recorded after downloading the app ahead of a holiday with her husband, Alan, to Jersey next week.

Ms Hire, from Llanelli, had her second jab in Carmarthenshire in June, but had to contact her health board after getting a letter two weeks ago telling her to go in for her second dose.

When she phoned to tell them she had already had both doses, she was told it would be corrected.

She said when she called to get it fixed, she was told there had been an IT issue at the time of her jab and it was being resolved.

But she said she feared it would not be done in time for their trip.

"They told me to keep checking, but this was in June, how long is this going to take to get right? They told me it had impacted thousands of people," she said.

"I'm going to have to go with my paper pass, I am just praying that's going to be enough."

The Welsh government said: "We are aware of technical issues around vaccinations not appearing on the NHS Covid Pass in a minority of cases and are working with the UK government to resolve this."

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