UK music venues will trial 'health passports' to bring live events back - how it works

It's hoped the app will speed up the reopening of music venues up and down the country (Photo: Shutterstock)It's hoped the app will speed up the reopening of music venues up and down the country (Photo: Shutterstock)
It's hoped the app will speed up the reopening of music venues up and down the country (Photo: Shutterstock)

New digital 'health passports' are set to be trialled at select UK music venues as part of efforts to reopen them safely.

Start-up company You Check has designed a government-approved digital health passport app in collaboration with the Music Venue Trust in a bid to get live music back on stage without risking transmission of coronavirus.

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The app, originally designed for tickets and communications between show audiences and fans, has been adapted to work in conjunction with existing Track and Trace technology.

The app will store information on the attendee's name, ticket, age, and importantly, their Covid-19 test result - with every ticket holder required to take one prior to arriving.

'Safe to go to a show for 48 hours'

You Check COO Fred Krefting told Event industry News: "We’re working, not exclusively, with Innova in terms of testing - technology that looks for a viral load high enough to be contagious with 97 per cent plus accuracy.

"For the honeymoon phase after the test, it’s the shorter the better, which means you’re good to go to a show for 48 hours."

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Trials of the software are currently planned for March, at the 100 Club in London and the Exchange in Bristol. The events will have a 25 per cent capacity and attendees will be tested twice for Covid-19.

If the trials are successful, it's hoped that the technology could be used at music venues across the UK, with the hopes of slowly building up capacity.

“You Check’s identity first solution has a lot of potential to help venues and promoters manage risk,” said Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd.

“It has a fast and thorough authentication process which enables health information to be stored against portable digital identity and Music Venue Trust is pleased to be working with You Check to explore how this technology might form part of a comprehensive process which enables us to reopen every venue safely and revive live.”

Though music venues are not open under the UK's current lockdown rules, it's hoped that this technology may speed up reopening once restrictions begin to ease.

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