BRITS will have to show proof of two Covid jabs to get into nightclubs from the end of September, Boris Johnson announced on Freedom Day.
The shock announcement came after ministers had previously ruled out “papers to party” and insisted any such scheme would be voluntary for nightclubs.
Speaking from Chequers where he has been forced to isolate for 10 days, the PM added: “We’re concerned, as they are in other countries, by the continuing risk posed by nightclubs.
“I should serve notice now that by the end of September, when all over-18s will have had their chance to be double jabbed, we’re planning to make full vaccination the condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather.
“Proof of a negative test will no longer be enough. I don’t want to have to close nightclubs again as they have elsewhere, but it does mean nightclubs need to do the socially responsible thing and make use of the NHS Covid pass.”
Freedom Day got underway early as huge queues of Brits entered clubs at midnight on Monday for dancing, boozing and partying without any face masks or social distancing.
Read our Freedom Day live blog for the very latest updates…
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WHAT TIME IS THE DOMINIC CUMMINGS INTERVIEW ON TONIGHT?
The hour-long 'Dominic Cummings: The Interview’ will be broadcast on BBC Two tonight, Tuesday July 20, at 7pm.
Cummings, 49, was widely blasted by the public and political opponents for taking a car journey with his family during the coronavirus lockdown last year.
Since leaving as the chief political aide to Number 10 he has undertaken a broadside against the Prime Minister over the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
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GREAT NEWS
Neil Etheridge is recovering at home with his family after a four-day stint in hospital with coronavirus.
The 31-year-old was admitted last week after contracting the virus and later posted an update to fans from his hospital bed.
But Blues boss Lee Bowyer confirmed on the weekend that Etheridge has been discharged and allowed to return home.
Bowyer said: “Neil is back home with his family today, which is great news.
“Everybody is smiling and grateful that he is back home.
“We can’t rush, and have to see how he progresses, but the most important thing is he is back with his family.”
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PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS STILL UNCLEAR OVER CORONAVIRUS PROTOCOLS FOR NEW SEASON
Football clubs in the Premier League are still waiting for guidance on coronavirus protocols with the new season less than a month away.
Many of the rules regarding travel, testing and biosecure bubbles will still apply despite the Government ending lockdown restrictions this week.
And it is almost certain that supporters will need to have a Covid passport or proof of a negative test before being allowed to attend a game. But that could prove a logistical nightmare for clubs to organise checkpoints for crowds of up to 75,000, particularly for evening games.
The plan is for all matches to be played at full capacity grounds for the first time since the pandemic struck back in March, 2020.
But rising cases of the virus means that football must now find a way of keeping all of their customers safe without maintaining social distancing.
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WATCH: REVELLERS HIT THE DANCEFLOOR ON FREEDOM DAY
Revellers hit the dance-floor on Freedom Day
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ONE IN SIX AREAS IN ENGLAND RECORD WORST EVER COVID RATES ON FREEDOM DAY
ONE in six areas in England have recorded their worst ever Covid rates on Freedom Day – where does your region stand?
Today’s data shows that Covid hospitalisations have risen by 44 per cent in the last two weeks and that fatalities increased by 19 today.
Data also shows that every local area in England is now recording coronavirus rates above the symbolic level of 100 cases per 100,000 people.
This is the first time this has happened since early January, at the peak of the second wave.
England’s overall rate of new cases currently stands at 425.3 per 100,000 people: the highest since January 19.
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GRAPHIC: COVID-19 VACCINATIONS IN THE UK
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GOT ANY COV-ID?
Party-goers will have to be doubled jabbed to enter nightclubs from the end of September, Boris Johnson declared tonight.
In a major U-turn the PM said vaccine passports will be needed to hit the dance floor in a bid to boost take up among 18-30 year olds.
The PM made the announcement at a Downing St press conference amid fears not enough youngsters are getting the shot.
Ministers are desperate to get as many jabs into arms as possible before self-isolation rules are eased on August 16.
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THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO CAN AVOID SELF-ISOLATING:
Double jabbed workers who can avoid self-isolating if pinged:
- Railway signallers
- Air traffic controllers
- NHS staff
- Care home workers
- Food production workers
- Train drivers
- Medicine manufacturers
- Border security guards
- Water and electricity supply workers
ONE ON ONE
Boris Johnson wanted to visit the Queen at the start of the UK's Covid pandemic and had to be stopped, Dominic Cummings has shockingly claimed.
The PM's former No10 aide has revealed how he had to warn his boss that Her Majesty – then aged 93 – might die if she caught coronavirus.
It's the latest claim against the PM from the shamed ex-adviser with Downing Street denying the allegations.
In a tell-all with BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Cummings claimed that he had to stop Mr Johnson going to see the Queen in person at the beginning of the Covid pandemic in 2020.
This was when staff at Number 10 were already falling ill with the brutal bug after it had spread from China.
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WATCH: ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER SLAMS COVID RULES AFTER CLOSING CINDERELLA
Andrew Lloyd Webber slams ‘completely untenable’ Covid rules after Cinderella cancellation
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US WARNS TRAVELLERS AGAINST HEADING TO THE UK OVER ‘VERY HIGH’ COVID CASES
American citizens have been warned against travel to the UK over spiralling coronavirus cases.
The UK was placed on the highest level of the United States travel guidance – “Level 4: Very High” – on Monday, warning that even fully-vaccinated travellers could be at risk.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention issued the update on the day Prime Minister Boris Johnson ended mask-wearing and social distancing laws, while reopening nightclubs.
Americans were told to “avoid travel to the United Kingdom” but advised to make sure they are fully vaccinated if travel is essential.
“Because of the current situation in the United Kingdom, even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk for getting and spreading Covid-19 variants,” the guidance added.
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‘CLARITY NEEDED’ OVER VACCINE TRAVEL FOR IRISH PASSPORT HOLDERS FROM NI
Politicians have urged the Irish Government to provide clarity on when people from Northern Ireland who hold Irish passports will be able to use the new EU Digital Covid Certificate (DCC).
The DCC was introduced in the Republic on Monday as part of a EU-wide scheme which will allow unrestricted international travel for those who are fully vaccinated.
The documents can also be used for indoor hospitality when it reopens later this month.
But most Irish passport holders in Northern Ireland will not be able to access the certificate at first because they were vaccinated outside of the Republic.
Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond said the DCC is only available to those who were vaccinated by the HSE, the Irish health service..
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DOUBLE THE FUN
New rules from yesterday mean Brits returning from amber list destinations will no longer have to quarantine, if they are fully vaccinated.
With most of Europe being on the amber list, it is great news for holidaymakers this summer.
The new rules require Brits to have had both jabs, with the second one at least 14 days before travelling, to be able to skip the 10-day quarantine.
Instead, returning travellers will be able to follow the rules of the green list which requires a negative Covid test pre-arrival and another one on day two, which must be pre-booked.
Travellers will be able to prove their vaccine status on their NHS app, while kids, who have not yet been offered the vaccine, will also be exempt from isolation.
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WATCH: LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS WILL HAVE TO BE REIMPOSED, JEREMY HUNT WARNS
Lockdown restrictions WILL have to be reimposed as new daily peak set to be WORSE than 1st wave, warns Jeremy Hunt
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COME BACK ANOTHER DAY
Brits won’t be able to order lateral flow tests for the rest of the day after supplies of the at-home kits ran out on Freedom Day.
People trying to order the tests through the government website were told to “come back tomorrow”.
Lateral flow tests have been hailed as keeping people safe through the pandemic as the small devices are able to detect Covid infections in just 30 minutes.
Brits are advised to take two tests as week as the country opens up.
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WILL THERE BE ANOTHER LOCKDOWN?
Chris Whitty has warned England could be plunged back into lockdown within five weeks as Covid cases surge during the third wave.
The chief medical officer says coronavirus hospitalisations are doubling about every three weeks and could hit "quite scary numbers".
His stark warning came days before July 19's 'Freedom Day' and the final step in Boris Johnson's roadmap out of Covid curbs.
But top doc Prof Whitty said the country is "not out of the woods yet" as cases rocketed to the highest level in six months.
Speaking at a Science Museum webinar, Prof Whitty said: "I don't think we should underestimate the fact that we could get into trouble again surprisingly fast."
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EXPLAINED: WHERE WILL FACE MASKS STILL BE NEEDED?
In London, Sadiq Khan has said face masks and coverings will still be compulsory on the capital’s transport network.
Passengers in bus stations operated by combined authorities West and South Yorkshire, on the North East’s Metro and Greater Manchester’s Metrolink tram services will also be required to wear them under local rules.
Supermarket chains – including Tesco, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose – will encourage customers to keep masks on.
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NEARLY 40,000 NEW UK COVID-19 CASES AND 19 FURTHER DEATHS
There has been a further 39,950 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases in the UK, according to Government figures.
A further 19 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Monday, bringing the UK total to 128,727.
Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have been 154,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
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GREAT NEWS
Neil Etheridge is recovering at home with his family after a four-day stint in hospital with coronavirus.
The 31-year-old was admitted last week after contracting the virus and later posted an update to fans from his hospital bed.
But Blues boss Lee Bowyer confirmed on the weekend that Etheridge has been discharged and allowed to return home.
Bowyer said: "Neil is back home with his family today, which is great news.
"Everybody is smiling and grateful that he is back home.
"We can’t rush, and have to see how he progresses, but the most important thing is he is back with his family."
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MAPPED: WHERE ARE SOME OF THE ‘PINGDEMIC’ HOTSPOTS?
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IS TEST AND TRACE MANDATORY?
The test, track and trace strategy has been one of the key measures in helping businesses reopen safely through the coronavirus pandemic as the nationwide vaccine rollout has gathered pace.
The NHS Test and Trace Service initially launched with a team of 25,000 contact tracers on May 28 and has since been downloaded by an estimated 5 million people.
Anyone who has come into contact with someone who has tested positive for the deadly bug will be told to self-isolate.
However the app is entirely voluntary and you can choose whether or not to download it.
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WATCH: BORIS JOHNSON'S STATEMENT ON SELF-ISOLATION
Boris Johnson releases statement on his self-isolation following Sajid Javid Covid result
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IS THE TEST AND TRACE MANDATORY?
The test, track and trace strategy has been one of the key measures in helping businesses reopen safely through the coronavirus pandemic as the nationwide vaccine rollout has gathered pace.
The NHS Test and Trace Service initially launched with a team of 25,000 contact tracers on May 28 and has since been downloaded by an estimated 5 million people.
Anyone who has come into contact with someone who has tested positive for the deadly bug will be told to self-isolate.
However the app is entirely voluntary and you can choose whether or not to download it.
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DOUBLE THE FUN
New rules from today mean Brits returning from amber list destinations will no longer have to quarantine, if they are fully vaccinated.
With most of Europe being on the amber list, it is great news for holidaymakers this summer.
The new rules require Brits to have had both jabs, with the second one at least 14 days before travelling, to be able to skip the 10-day quarantine.
Instead, returning travellers will be able to follow the rules of the green list which requires a negative Covid test pre-arrival and another one on day two, which must be pre-booked.
Travellers will be able to prove their vaccine status on their NHS app, while kids, who have not yet been offered the vaccine, will also be exempt from isolation.
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VIRAL WAVE
These shocking maps show the Delta variant has spread further in just one week before Britain relaxes more Covid rules.
The maps of England reveal scientists have found the strain to be more than 90 per cent dominant in every authority in the country.
In most areas, it is 100 per cent dominant, meaning every single Covid infection screened is caused by Delta.
The map confirms Delta has the UK in its grip and is fuelling the third wave.
Experts at the Wellcome Sanger Institute have produced the map every week, painting a picture of how rapidly the strain spread across the country over a few weeks.
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