Covid 19 - Staff requiring Covid Passports
2021
Today 2 new guidance documents have been issued relating to the use of Covid Passports if approved by Parliament on Wednesday.
The first is directed at the public and confirms when and how to use the Covid Passports: 'Using your NHS COVID Pass for travel abroad and at venues and settings in England'.
The second is to assist venues in understanding when their staff need to have a Covid passport to work in the venue: 'Prove your coronavirus (COVID-19) status to work at venues or events operating COVID-19 status checks'.
The document states it is for employers and employees:
“This page is for workers (including employees, other staff and volunteers, and people providing services to the event or venue) who are now advised to use the NHS COVID Pass, or equivalent proof, to access certain venues or events.
Customer-facing workers in venues or events where certification applies are strongly advised to be vaccinated or regularly testing.
If you live in England, you can show your NHS COVID Pass to prove:
you’re vaccinated
have completed a negative PCR test or negative rapid lateral flow test within the past 48 hours
or are exempt”
The guidance covers the requirement to prove your vaccine-or-test COVID-19 status to work at all nightclubs, dance halls and discotheques. It is advised that you prove your COVID-19 status to work in customer-facing roles at all these venues at all times, unless they are not acting as a nightclub (for example by closing their dancefloor) or they are holding an exempt event.
The advice is robust in its content setting out that the responsible person for the venue or event is strongly advised to take reasonable measures to ensure all adults working in roles that come into contact with members of the public meet the COVID-19 status requirements.
If the eployee does not meet the COVID-19 status requirements, the responsible person is strongly advised to deny them entry to the venue or event.
However it confirms that if an individual works at a venue or event that requires evidence of COVID-19 status for visitors but they are working in a role that does not come into contact with customers, they do not need to show evidence of vaccination or testing.
It helpfully provides a number of examples:
Example 1
If you work as a cleaner for a nightclub that’s subject to certification, and attend the venue to provide services outside of opening hours or while not coming into contact with any members of the public, it’s advised that you do not need to certify.
Example 2
If you work as a chef at a venue hosting an event that is subject to certification, and do not come into contact with any members of the public, it’s advised that you do not need to certify.
Example 3
You work consecutive shifts at a venue or event subject to mandatory certification from Monday to Saturday evening. You come into contact with customers, are unvaccinated and not exempt. You’re advised to take a test no more than 48 hours before your Monday shift.
You choose to take a test on the Monday morning, which covers you for Monday and Tuesday. You should take a further test on Wednesday morning as it is longer than 48 hours after your previous test, and could take another test sooner. This covers you for Wednesday and Thursday. A third test on Friday morning would mean you’re now covered until the end of Saturday.