BLITZED Brits hit the town to enjoy one final night of freedom last night before vaccine passports come into force today.
Scores of sozzled revellers partied until the early hours across the country amid concerns over Covid variant Omicron.
Dressed to impress, they hit bars and clubs in Portsmouth, Hampshire, before ending up at the Astoria Nightclub.
Elsewhere, huge queues were spotted outside venues in London and Manchester.
Many donned Christmas jumpers and Santa hats ahead of the big day, while others put on their best festive outfits.
The night of fun came just days after Plan B Covid restrictions came into force across the country, including face masks on public transport and work from home guidance.
It was also the eve of the introduction of vaccine passports for over-18s at larger venues.
From today, people in England will need to show their Covid status to get into nightclubs, indoor unseated venues with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people, and any venue with more than 10,000 people.
Punters will need to show they are fully vaccinated (currently two doses) using the NHS Covid Pass or provide proof of a negative test result in the past 48 hours.
It means those who have not yet been jabbed cannot go clubbing or enjoy a drink in a busy bar unless they take a lateral flow or PCR test and report the result on the NHS website, have had a positive test in the past six months and have finished self-isolating, or have an exemption.
The restriction was introduced in a bid to battle the “unbelievably fast” spreading Omicron variant.
More than 5,346 people are confirmed to have had the mutant strain, but health officials fear Omicron cases may be “200,000 a day” already and “doubling every two to three days”.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps also fuelled the fire by hinting that harsher restrictions could be brought in in the new year – though insisted he is “confident” there will be no extra curbs before December 25.
However, while fresh infections are on the rise, there is hope Brits won’t be plunged back into lockdown again for the festive period.
The PM’s spokesperson said: “Obviously we need to keep the characteristics of this variant under review, and we would act if necessary, but there’s no plans to go beyond what we set out.”
The government is even still officially urging people to press ahead with festive parties and school nativities despite the squeeze.
And it is hoped huge take-up of jabs — especially boosters — will spare Brits from further lockdown misery.
