How can I use the NHS app as a Covid pass - Everything you need to know about the new Covid pass

An illustration picture shows a smartphone screen displaying a Covid-19 vaccine record on the NHS app. Picture: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images.

As the UK draws closer to unlocking on July 19, Covid vaccine passes may soon be required to attend day-to-day events as well as for international travel.

The Pass can be accessed on the NHS app to confirm whether users have been vaccinated or to authenticate a recent coronavirus test result.

Users 16 and over in England can get a pass depending on their vaccination status or COVID-19 test results, which people can download digitally but also as a paper version.

Here is everything you need to know about the NHS Covid pass.

Who can get an NHS COVID Pass in England?

The pass can be obtained by anyone aged 16 or over, who has had two doses of the Moderna, AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine, or one dose of the Janssen vaccine, in England – the pass will be available two weeks after your 2nd dose.

Anyone with a negative PCR test or rapid lateral flow test within the past 48 hours can get a pass as soon as they receive their result.

Users with a positive PCR test within the past six months can also receive a pass after they’ve finished self-isolating and up to 180 days after taking the test.

'Everybody has a right to choose' - What you think about using the NHS Covid Pas...

How can I get the pass on the NHS app?

You can get a digital version of the pass using the NHS App or NHS website, which can be downloaded as a PDF or get it sent to you in an email.

The contact tracing app, called NHS COVID 19, is separate and will not include vaccine passports.

Users will need to fill out details such as name, postcode and NHS number to register on the app before finding their vaccination status in the app which is under the tab "your health" or by clicking on the service "get your NHS Covid pass".

A digital barcode can the be presented at an event or when you travel.

How long is the digital version valid for?

Passes for people with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, or a single-dose Janssen vaccine, last for 28 days and then automatically renew.

A negative PCR test or rapid lateral flow is valid for 48 hours after a negative result and a positive PCR test is valid for 180 days after a positive result.

How can I get a paper version?

You can get an NHS Covid Pass letter sent to you in the post – this shows you've been vaccinated against COVID-19 but does not show COVID-19 test results.

The paper version can be sent by requesting it online or by calling 119.

What will I need a Covid pass for?

The Government’s plan is for the vaccine passport scheme to be accepted abroad but the exact list of countries that will accept the app has not yet been announced.

Some countries, such as Greece and Spain, have started accepting the UK's pass.

Ministers have also suggested that the passes will be needed to enter events and nightclubs, but the Government has not yet announced this.

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

The Sunderland Echo has been on Wearside since 1873, and your support means we can continue telling your stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe.