Sports fans say stadium staff are BARELY checking new compulsory vaccine status codes

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Sports fans have claimed there were ‘no real checks’ being made on their vaccination status or negative lateral flow tests as the Government’s mandatory Covid passes rule came into force today.  

Thousands of spectators have been descending upon the nations’ sporting venues in their droves tonight to watch Arsenal play West Ham at London‘s Emirates Stadium and Crystal Palace face Southampton at Selhurst Park Stadium, in Croydon.

Long queues were also seen snaking around The American Express Community Stadium in Brighton as fans arrived for the Brighton & Hove Albion v Wolverhampton Wanderers football game. 

But have some sporting fans have now claimed their Covid passes were ‘barely’ checked despite the supposed crackdown.

The large gatherings tonight come after MPs approved approved mandatory Covid passes at sporting events with more than 10,000 fans under new ‘Plan B’ guidelines to tackle the rise in the highly-transmissible Omicron variant. 

Under the new rules, adults in England will have to prove they are fully jabbed or have had a recent negative Covid test before they can go to venues where large crowds gather.

Two vaccine doses will be treated as fully-vaccinated but this will be kept under review because of the booster programme.

A negative PCR or rapid lateral flow test, or exemption from vaccination, will also be sufficient under the requirement.

Venues could be fined up to £10,000 for failing to check passes, while the faking of a pass could also attract the same penalty.

The passports will apply to all unseated indoor venues with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people and any venue with more than 10,000 people.

Earlier tonight hundreds of spectators were seen arriving to Selhurst Park Stadium in south London to watch Crystal Palace play Southampton.

And scores of supporters were seen displaying their Covid passes on their phones as they arrived to the Emirates Stadium for the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Ham United at 8pm.

However some fans later took to social media to claim their passes were ‘barely’ checked, with one claiming they ‘got into the stadium within a minute’.

One football fan wrote: ‘Just had to wave a Covid pass at The Ems tonight; no real check of the QR code; at least it’s something.’

While another added: ‘No Covid pass check.’ 

Elsewhere another commented: ‘Good job with the non-existent Covid pass checks.’ 

And another spectator said: ‘So much for Plan B. No Covid pass check. Got into the stadium within a minute and it is the earliest I’ve been inside!’ 

The scenes came after nearly 100 Tory MPs defied the whip yesterday to vote against introducing the mandatory passes. 

Boris Johnson announced the rules as part of the government’s ‘Plan B’ to tackle the spread of the Omicron variant.

Speaking on the decision the  Prime Minister said: ‘We will also make the NHS Covid pass mandatory for entry into nightclubs and venues where large crowds gather, including unseated indoor venues with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people and any venue with more than 10,000 people.

‘The NHS Covid pass can still be obtained with two doses (of a Covid vaccine) but we will keep this under review as the boosters roll out.

‘And having taken clinical advice since the emergence of Omicron, a negative lateral flow test will also be sufficient.

‘As we set out in Plan B, we will give businesses a week’s notice, so this will come into force in a week’s time, helping to keep these events and venues open at full capacity while giving everyone who attends them confidence that those around them have done the responsible thing to minimise risk to others.’ 

While some Premier League clubs have been conducting voluntarily checks on Covid passes this season, these inspections are now required by law and anyone unable to comply will not be allowed into the stadium.

The Premier League has worked steadily for more than six months to prepare for the resurgence of Covid-19 in order to keep games on and fans in stadiums. While mindful of the challenge, officials say they are as confident as they can be that they have everything in place to keep players, staff and supporters safe. 

The league and clubs are working closely with local public health authorities and will track any infection after matches to be sure football is not fuelling the spread of the virus. 

In addition, the Premier League has reintroduced the emergency measures developed last season to reduce the risk of spread within clubs. This includes social distancing, limiting access to certain area and treatments, as well as mask wearing.

Premier League clubs are also testing players up to nine times a week, with a lateral flow test each day and two PCR tests.

The Plan B measures apply to supporters in large stadiums with a capacity of 10,000 and supporters have also been told they must wear masks in indoor areas of the stadium and stewards will be on hand to enforce the rules. 

Signs are being put up in grounds to indicate where fans are legally required to wear a mask, but food and drink concessions will be open. Masks are not mandatory in the stadium bowl, but encouraged.  

Yesterday some 369 MPs backed the move to introduce Covid passes – which have also been known as vaccine passports – giving a majority of 243.

But the division list showed 96 Conservative MPs voted against. 

Forest of Dean MP Mark Harper urged MPs to vote against the proposed measures to introduce vaccine passes for venues and events, saying it would send a ‘clear signal’ to the Government to ‘rethink its approach’. 

The former chief whip said: ‘They are very limited at the moment about what is proposed, but that was true everywhere they were introduced around the world. Everywhere they have been introduced, they have extended it, in terms of the venues they apply to.

‘Anyone who thinks that they are going to stick to what is currently on the order paper, I am afraid are kidding themselves.’

Fellow Conservative MP Steve Brine added: ‘On the vaccine passport, I will not support that. I think it crosses a Rubicon. I think Italy began in exactly this way saying it was all about providing lateral flow tests, and I think it will move and move quite quickly.’ 

Conservative former minister Dame Andrea Leadsom said the regulations were a ‘slippery slope which I do not want to slip’, also telling MPs: ‘Our Covid measures have and continue to hurt our citizens.’

And Dr Luke Evans said he could not support Covid passes, telling the Commons: ‘I worry about the slippery slope. What businesses, what society interactions or what infections may become in scope in future months or future years?’

But Health Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs: ‘I think it is absolutely vital there is always an option for lateral flow tests, and I would not support a vaccine-only option.

Meanwhile, the NHS Covid Pass app went down for eight hours last night as the health service made ‘essential updates’.

Those looking to travel between 10pm and 6am were urged to download their proof of a negative result.

The Department of Health said the interference to the digital service was part of ‘planned maintenance’.

The NHS’s official Twitter page wrote: ‘The NHS COVID Pass will be unavailable from 10pm this evening until 6am tomorrow morning to allow us to complete some essential updates.

‘If you need your Pass to travel during these times, make sure you have downloaded a copy, or save it to your Apple Wallet or Google Pay.’ 

And the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the ordering of lateral flow tests on the Government website was temporarily suspended amid ‘exceptionally high demand’.

It said the pause was temporary and availability refreshed daily, with people encouraged to re-visit the website from Tuesday. 

Last night night-time industry bosses slammed the introduction of Covid passes for nightclubs and late night dance venues and called for more support over the new measures which they say ‘jeopardise their survival’.

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) said it was ‘disappointed’ in the regulations being voted into law, warning they had ‘dampened trade’ by 30 per cent in Scotland and 26 per cent in Wales.

And Sacha Lord, co-founder of the Warehouse Project – which hosts a series of dance music-based club nights – said the ‘rug has been pulled from underneath us’, adding there was ‘no support’ for large venues.

Nightclub operator Rekom was also ‘disappointed, but sadly not surprised’ over Covid passes, and claims the new measure will have ‘no impact on transmission rates’.

Meanwhile Jeremy Joseph, who owns the nightclubs G-A-Y and Heaven in London, said he was not against the passes but cautioned: ‘You can’t have one rule for one type of venue, and a different rule for another.’