Compulsory CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus status certification came into effect on Monday for all adults in Wales who wish to enter nightclubs or large events.
According to Welsh government guidance, all over-18s are required from Monday to show their NHS COVID Passes to enter nightclubs and similar venues; unseated indoor venues for more than 500 people; any outdoor or indoor venues with a capacity of over 4,000 people; or any event of any nature with more than 10,000 people in attendance.
Only full CCP virus vaccinations and negative lateral flow tests from 48 hours prior are accepted, the guidance says.
The measure was approved by the Welsh Parliament on Oct. 6 by one vote, despite opposition from the Welsh Conservatives, Plaid Cymru, and the Liberal Democrats, as one Conservative MP missed the vote due to technical issues.
However, there appear to be gaps between the government guidance and the legislation that was passed, with the latter saying evidence of natural immunity or participation in some clinical trials will also be accepted.
The legislation also listed a number of exceptions, including weddings and civil partnership receptions; wakes; free, unticketed, and multi-entry-point open-air events; protests and picketing; open-air mass-participation sporting events; and religious services.
The Epoch Times has reached out to the Welsh government for comment.
The new rules only apply to people attending events, while staff working or volunteering at venues are encouraged to take lateral flow tests twice a week.
A premise could be issued with an improvement or closure notice, while a fixed penalty notice and a maximum fine for businesses of £10,000 ($13,600) can be issued.
Those who fake a CCP virus test result or vaccination status will be committing a criminal offence and face a fixed penalty notice, according to the legislation.
Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said the COVID-19 passport mandate is “one of a series of measures in place to help prevent people spreading and catching coronavirus while helping to keep the economy open.”
Before the Welsh Parliament vote on Wednesday, Plaid Cymru health spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth said his party was not against the principle of vaccine passports but took issue with the proposals in their current form, including the use of lateral flow tests.
Conservative health spokesman Russell George said he didn’t think Wales “should become a checkpoint society by introducing a vaccine passport.”
The number of CCP virus cases in Wales is currently at a similar level to that of last December, when the case number last peaked, while the number of patients in hospitals with the virus and the number of deaths within 28 days of positive tests are much lower than those seen in December.
Scotland currently has a vaccines-only COVID-19 passport mandate in place for nightclubs and crowded events, while a similar plan in England has been shelved. The government in Northern Ireland hasn’t proposed a plan to introduce domestic vaccine passports.
PA contributed to this report.
