Coronavirus (COVID-19) venue check-in
The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Collection of Contact Details etc and Related Requirements) Regulations 2020
As restrictions ease it is essential that businesses have the right tools in place to help prevent transmission of COVID-19.
Customer, visitor and staff records are an important element in contact tracing.
What you must do
Customer contact details
The Regulations were amended on 29 March 2021 and businesses must now request that every individual scans the NHS QR code OR provides their contact details upon arrival, not just the lead member of the group.
Under the regulations you are required to display an NHS QR code poster informing customers that they must check in to your premises.
If individuals do not have the app, you must have a system in place to collect their name and contact details instead (advance bookings where contact details have already been provided are acceptable).
Individuals should only be asked to check in with either the NHS QR code, or by providing their contact details, but not both.
Business sectors this applies to
Staff contact details
In addition, you must also ensure you have up to date staff contact details and records for when staff are on the premises.
This is to make sure that every person can receive timely public health advice if they may have been exposed to COVID-19. You should make sure that all your staff have been notified of this change and understand that they are now required to ask all people entering the venue to scan the NHS QR code or provide their contact details. Exemptions include children under the age of 16 and people entering the venue for drop off / takeaway only.
Before reopening your venue
You must ensure that you understand your obligations:
- Display an official NHS QR code poster
- Request that all customers and visitors scan the NHS QR code OR provide their contact details
- Keep a record of all staff including shift times
- Provide an alternative method to collect contact details which doesn’t require ownership of a smartphone
- Keep information securely for 21 days before destroying it, and provide it to NHS Test & Trace if requested
Hospitality venues only
You must take reasonable steps to refuse entry to those who refuse to participate. This means you must to the best of your ability comply with the requirement to refuse entry and you should satisfy yourself that you have done all that could reasonably be expected.
Contact tracing
NHS Test and Trace will use contact tracing information to identify venues where other individuals present may have been exposed to COVID-19 and need to be contacted. If this happens, your venue will be contacted to request your logbook and you will be given detailed instructions about how to do this at the time, as well as further guidance and support about what this means for your business.
Your venue will not automatically need to close, and your venue will also not be named when we contact individuals.
Individuals will be contacted with a ‘warn and inform’ message – this is not an instruction to self-isolate; it simply reminds individuals to follow guidance and look out for symptoms. In some instances, we may recommend that individuals book a test.
App users who checked in with the NHS QR code will receive this as a notification via their app, and non-app users or those that left their contact details will be sent this message via text message.
Do not be concerned if you are not asked to share your logbooks. This just means that we have not identified multiple positive cases linked to your venue. It is still essential to maintain logbooks or NHS Test and Trace cannot contain outbreaks where they do occur.