The Government has shelved plans to introduce vaccine passports as a requirement for entering sports stadia from October 1; the Premier League will carry on enforcing coronavirus protocols for fans on matchdays
Tuesday 14 September 2021 12:05, UK
Fans will have to continue to show proof of a full vaccination or a negative lateral flow test to attend Premier League games, despite the Government announcing it will not be introducing vaccine passports.
The Premier League has been running Covid certification spot-checks this season and this will remain in place.
Additionally, the Premier League will continue to ask fans to wear masks in indoor areas, follow one-way systems and keep a safe distance from other fans.
Under plans discussed by the Government in the summer, fans attending sporting venues with capacities of 20,000 fans or above would have had to show proof of a full vaccination to enter stadia from the start of next month.
However, Health Secretary Sajid Javid recently told Sky News he opposes the idea of vaccine certification, and the concept has been shelved.
Manchester United began carrying out random coronavirus status spot-checks at Old Trafford on Saturday for their game against Newcastle United.
Grounds across the country have been permitted to return to their full capacities in the 2021/22 season after the last campaign was played almost entirely behind closed doors because of pandemic restrictions.
In Scotland, sports fans will need to prove they have been fully inoculated against Covid-19 from October 1 and the vaccine passport scheme will apply to fans attending stadia with crowds of 10,000 or higher.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the Premier League confirmed there were three new positive tests across the latest two rounds of testing, where 3,039 players and club staff were tested for Covid-19.
England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam recently featured in a video played to Premier League and EFL footballers urging them to get vaccinated amid concerns of a low uptake at some clubs.
