NHS Covid Pass - what is it and how do I get it?
The information in this article is taken from the gov.uk website.
What is the NHS Covid Pass?
The NHS Covid Pass lets you share your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination records or test COVID-19 status in a secure way.
It allows you to show others the details of your COVID-19 vaccine (or vaccines) when travelling abroad to some countries or territories.
From Monday 19 July, you may be asked to demonstrate your COVID-19 status at places that use the service in England as a condition of entry to a venue or event.
The NHS Covid Pass also allows individuals to demonstrate their COVID-19 status at a series of event trials in England taking place until 25 July.
What can it be used for?
International travel
You can show the vaccination records contained within your NHS Covid Pass as proof of your COVID-19 status when travelling abroad. However, in addition to your NHS Covid Pass, you will need to follow additional rules when travelling abroad.
The government is working with the devolved administrations to ensure everyone in the UK is able to show their COVID-19 status.
Domestic use in England
Some events and venues may choose to ask for the NHS Covid Pass. The government will work with organisations where people are likely to be in close proximity to others outside their household to encourage the use of this.
This is likely to include settings that have the following characteristics:
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crowded indoor settings such as nightclubs and music venues
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large unstructured outdoor events such as business events and festivals
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very large structured events such as business events, music and spectator sport events
Who can get an NHS Covid Pass in England?
If you’re aged 18 or over, you can get an NHS Covid Pass for domestic venues and events.
If you’re aged 16 or over you can get an NHS Covid Pass for travel abroad but you should follow the entry requirements of the country you are travelling to.
For travelling abroad
You can obtain your NHS COVID Pass after receiving either:
- 2 doses of the Moderna, AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine
- one dose of the Janssen vaccine
You must have been vaccinated in England.
You can usually obtain your NHS COVID Pass within 24 hours of having your vaccination. However, it can take up to 5 days for your records to be updated.
For domestic use in England
For domestic purposes, those 18 and over can obtain an NHS COVID Pass if one of the following applies:
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2 weeks after completing a full course of vaccination, whether that requires 2 doses or one dose (that is, 2 doses of the Moderna, AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine, or 1 dose of the Janssen vaccine) (according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency authorised schedule).
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with evidence of a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or rapid lateral flow test taken within 48 hours of entry to a venue, with both at-home and on-site (where available) being accepted. A lateral flow test taken at home will need to be reported into the public reporting system
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with proof of natural immunity shown by a positive PCR test result for COVID-19, lasting for 180 days from the date of the positive test and following completion of the self-isolation period
You must have been vaccinated in England.
How to access the NHS Covid Pass
Access through the NHS App
You can access your NHS Covid Pass through the free NHS App on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. Proof of your COVID-19 status will be shown within the NHS App.
You need to be registered with a GP in England to use the NHS App. If you’re not registered with a GP, you can still access the NHS COVID Pass via the NHS website (NHS.UK) or via 119 (select the ‘NHS COVID Pass service’) to request a letter.
The NHS App is not the same as the NHS COVID-19 app.
Access through the NHS Website
You can view your COVID-19 status online and download or print it as a PDF document. To access the service, you’ll need to register for an NHS login if you do not have one already. NHS login registrations may take longer than usual when there are high numbers of requests.
Request an NHS Covid Pass letter to be sent to you
Request a letter only if you:
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have been fully vaccinated by the NHS in England
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are planning to travel in the next 4 weeks to a country that requires evidence of COVID-19 vaccination
You can obtain an NHS COVID Pass at age 16 plus but do not need one to access venues or events in England if you are under 18 years of age.
You can request an NHS COVID Pass letter:
- via the NHS website
- by calling 119 (select the ‘NHS COVID Pass service’) if you do not have access to a smartphone, computer or tablet
We expect the letter to take up to 5 working days to reach you.
GPs cannot provide letters showing your COVID-19 status.
Protecting your data
Your COVID-19 status is held securely within the NHS App. It can only be accessed via the NHS login service.
The NHS COVID Pass only shows your COVID-19 vaccination status in the form of a 2D barcode, which allows you to view your vaccination record.
The digital version of the NHS COVID Pass service can be accessed via the NHS App or NHS.UK.
When you access your NHS COVID Pass via the NHS App, or directly via the NHS website, you will need to use your NHS login. NHS login has advanced security features to protect you and minimise any risk of fraud. Your vaccination status displays your vaccination record only and no other personal health records or data.
All the information displayed is derived from the National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) database operated by NHS England. The NHS COVID Pass service does not capture any new information. All it does is enable secure access to your immunisation records within NIMS and use a small subset of that information (NHS number, name and COVID-19 vaccination history) to enable the creation of a 2D barcode that can later be shown when travelling abroad. The service has been developed in strict compliance with GDPR and privacy regulations.
Your NHS COVID Pass letter that you request via 119 has been produced and printed with a range of embedded security features to help prevent fraud. It includes a barcode which provides a unique reference that can be used to verify your individual COVID vaccination record.
