Christopher BarrettVenues and festivals will be able to reopen on 19 July with no requirement for pre-event Covid-19 testing or attendees having to show their vaccine status to gain entry, according to a Government source quoted by the London Evening Standard.
The newspaper was told, “We are increasingly confident that people are protected and the plan is to reopen everything, with no exceptions.”
It reported that vaccine passports will not be mandatory for festivals and sporting events this summer but pre-event tests or vaccine passports could be required for indoor hospitality and entertainment events this winter if there is a surge in infections.
Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove is quoted as having said that pre-event testing would impose “too much hassle” on the public and businesses.
Covid Recovery Group chair Mark Harper told the Standard, “With so many people receiving protection from the vaccines, the justification for Covid status certification is incredibly weak.”
The comments follow the largely positive outcomes of the Government’s Events Research Programme pilot show scheme, with the report from the initial phase showing that of the 58,000 who attended the first nine test events, only 28 subsequently tested positive for Covid-19.
Access contacted the Cabinet Office, which declined to comment.