NHS Covid Pass glitch fixed after UK travellers stuck abroad

Holidaymakers were left unable to check in at airports after system became unavailable

An NHS Covid Pass. PA

A glitch with the National Health Service Covid Pass, a digital record of people's vaccine records, has been fixed after it became inaccessible on Thursday, leaving many UK travellers struggling to board flights.

The NHS app and website told users trying to gain access to proof of their vaccination status on Thursday that the service was unavailable, with the app telling users: “We are sorry the NHS Covid Pass is currently unavailable.

“At this time there is no alternative route for accessing this information via the NHS App or online.

“If you have already downloaded the information, then your access should not be affected.”

On social media, several holidaymakers said they had been unable to check in at airports because they were unable to prove their vaccination status.

NHS Digital tweeted: “We are aware of issues with availability of the NHS Covid Pass. We are investigating this urgently and will provide an update as soon as possible.

“We apologise for any issues this may cause and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve it.”

The requirement for people to show the NHS Covid Pass to visit indoor and outdoor events and venues, such as cinemas and nightclubs, was scrapped this year.

But it is still used as a way for people to show their vaccination status when travelling abroad to certain countries.

Coronavirus pandemic around the world — in pictures

A young woman receives a Pfizer jab in Diepsloot Township near Johannesburg, South Africa. AP Photo

A girl wearing a face mask rides on a merry-go-round at the Christmas market in Frankfurt, Germany. AP Photo

People travel on a London underground tube train on the Jubilee Line, in London, during the pandemic. AP Photo

People wait for the tram in Vienna, Austria, amid the crisis. AP Photo

A woman passes by an empty terrace in the Marrolles quarter in Brussels, Belgium. AP Photo

A teacher gives online lessons via webcam at the temporarily closed elementary school in the town of Trebisov, eastern Slovakia. TASR via AP

Hairdressers and clients wear masks in Amsterdam, Netherlands. AFP

A man disinfects seats for tourists at a beach in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. EPA

Israeli boy Itamar, 5, receives a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at the Meuhedet Healthcare Services Organisation in Tel Aviv. AFP

A patient suffering from Covid-19 is admitted in the intensive care unit of the Basaksehir Cam and Sakura City Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Reuters

A health worker prepares to administer the AstraZeneca jab in Abuja, Nigeria. AFP