BORIS Johnson tonight announced that vaccine passports are being introduced as part of new Covid restrictions to battle Omicron.
The PM said people will have to flash the NHS app to get into mass events as part of efforts to slow the spread of the new variant.
Under the new rules Brits will be able to provide proof of either full vaccination or a recent negative lateral flow test.
They will come into force next Wednesday after consultation with businesses, the PM announced tonight.
Covid certification will be required for entry all all indoor events with an attendance of more than 500 people.
That includes everything from major business events and music concerts to large weddings and parties.
Nightclubs will also be covered by the new rules.
And the requirement will apply to “crowded” outdoor venues where more than 4,000 people gather.
That could include music festivals and large celebrations like New Year’s Eve firework displays.
Finally, people will have to use the NHS app to access any event with a crowd of over 10,000 people.
It means the new rules will cover going to sports matches like Premier League games.
Tory fury
The PM said the introduction of vaccine passports for large venues will help slow the spread of Omicron.
But of all the new measures Covid certification will face the strongest backlash from anti-lockdown Tory MPs.
Ex Cabinet minister David Davis said countries in Europe like France and Belgium have introduced vaccine papers to little effect.
He argued: “Where is the evidence that vaccine passports actually work?
“France introduced them in the summer, they now have more cases than they had in the last peak.
“Vaccinated people can still catch and transmit the disease.
“There is a sizeable chance that passports will introduce a false sense of security.”
Speaking in the Commons, health secretary Sajid Javid said he would “caution in comparing France to the UK”.
He added: “It is not straightforward to compare between different countries.
“Different countries have taken a whole host of different measures at different points in time.”
