February 11, 2022: Proof of vaccination status for 12-15 year olds added to the app
A digital version of the NHS Covid Pass has been made available to teenagers aged 12 to 15 in England for the first time, making it much easier for them to prove their vaccination status while traveling abroad. Teenagers aged 13 to 15 can use the NHS App to access their Covid pass, while 12-year-olds have to access it via a web browser due to App Store rules.
January 6, 2022: NHS App exceeds 22 million user mark
The NHS App has surpassed the 22 million user mark, with more than 170,000 new registrations during the past six month. According to NHS Digital, the app has become one of the top apps for Android devices, as well as the most downloaded free iphone app in the UK in 2021.
December 22, 2021: NHS COVID Pass Now A Must to Enter Stadium
From 15 December 2021, the Government’s Plan B works. All fans who want to watch the matches need to upload firstly proof of their vaccination status via the COVID-19 pre-registration form. On the matchday, without the proof of your COVID-19 status, you can properly be stopped to enter the stadium. A valid NHS COVID Pass from the NHS App is an acceptable form of entry.
December 13, 2021: NHS Covid Pass becomes mandatory in specific settings
As England moves to Plan B restrictions this week, residents will need the NHS App to prove they’re fully vaccinated. From December 15, NHS Covid Pass on the NHS App will become mandatory for anyone who wants to go to certain venues such as nightclubs and settings where large crowds gather, including unseated indoor events with 500 people or more, unseated outdoor events for 4,000 or more or any event with 10,000 people. To access the NHS Covid Pass, users can simply open the free NHS App and register with a GP in England.
October 22, 2021: Restricted Travel!
Travellers using the NHS app to prove their vaccine status were prevented from boarding flights and ferries leaving the UK after a four-hour outage.
Hundreds of people tried to download the information they needed before leaving -- including qr codes and details of how they had been poked -- but were told to "try again later", causing confusion and anger.
While NHS Digital said the problem had been resolved by 4.30pm, the app crash left people unable to obtain Novel Coronavirus passes, delaying many people's travel plans.
How to get a COVID Pass on the NHS app and where to show it?
The digital NHS COVID Pass requires you to be registered with a GP surgery in England and have had the coronavirus vaccine or recent negative test results. To access a COVID Pass, first, open the NHS app, and you’ll see "Get your NHS COVID Pass" in the middle of the homepage. Select it and follow the instructions to get your pass.
The government is encouraging places with large crowds to require visitors to show the NHS COVID Pass. It hasn’t mandated the COVID Pass but will likely to do so in the future, depending on the situation of the pandemic.
The NHS COVID Pass can also be used to prove your double-jabbed status when travelling to other countries after July 19. Some countries also require a negative test, so make sure you check the requirements of your destination country before travelling.
Differences between the NHS app and NHS COVID-19 app
Get confused with the two apps with similar names? Although both belong to the National Health Service, the NHS app and the NHS COVID-19 app are different in functions as follows:
NHS app
-
Share your COVID-19 status
-
Order prescriptions
-
Get help from NHS 111 online
-
Make GP surgery appointments
-
Other NHS services
NHS COVID-19 app
-
See COVID confirmed cases nearby
-
QR code to check in public places
-
Refer to COVID symptoms and order tests
-
Check your isolation status
Generally, the NHS app covers a wider range of medical services, while the NHS COVID-19 focuses more on COVID solutions.
