Boris Johnson announced new coronavirus restrictions in England earlier this week, activating the government’s ‘Plan B’ to deal with rising cases and the spread of the Omicron variant.
For Nottingham Forest supporters, that means they will soon be required to show a covid vaccine passport or proof of a negative lateral flow test to enter stadiums.
With official guidance yet to be issued by the English Football League, the club have confirmed that they will communicate with fans as soon as information has been finalised.
The new rules apply to venues with more than 10,000 people in attendance, and they will come into effect from next Wednesday (December 15).
They will be in place for the Reds’ clash with Hull City at the City Ground next Saturday.
However, fans making the trip to watch their team at Swansea City this weekend must be able to present either a digital NHS covid pass, a paper NHS covid pass or a negative lateral flow test, as the guidance in Wales is different.
Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur have had two matches postponed - against Rennes and Brighton and Hove Albion - as they deal with an outbreak of the virus.
And Forest head coach Steve Cooper says everyone at the club is mindful of being extra “diligent” amid the current climate.
“I think it has to be on your radar, not just from a performance and game preparation point of view, but from a safety and well-being point of view as well,” he said.
“The change of rules, and the Spurs situation, are reminders that we’re not over this; we’re not through it.
“We need to continue to be as diligent and as careful as we can be.
“Because of the rules in Wales, you have to show covid passes or lateral flow tests to get into the ground at Swansea, and it looks like that is coming to England now.
“For the Forest supporters who are making the journey down to Swansea, it is a little bit of a dry run, really, for what looks like is going to be the same situation in England.
“Players, staff, supporters, we have to continue to be as diligent as we can be, to protect each other.
“We’ll certainly be taking it as seriously as the rule changes are, because you have to.”
The Reds welcomed crowds back to the City Ground this season for the first time since March 2020.
For much of his time in charge at Swansea, Cooper oversaw games behind closed doors, with strict rules also in place when football restarted, in June 2020, during the first national lockdown.
“We were close anyway, but it brought us even closer, if I reflect on that, because of how you had to go about things when you returned,” said the Welshman.
“There hasn’t been any guidance from the Football League yet, like there was through the first return after lockdown - about can people use dressing rooms, food, social distancing, meetings etc. There were a lot of rules that were in place.
“We haven’t, as yet, had any guidance from the Football League, in how they expect us to operate in and around the training ground and stadium. Maybe that’s due, maybe that’s imminent, I’m not sure.
“What we are mindful of is who actually comes into the training ground; trying to minimise and limit people from outside of the normal group who come in. That’s a starting point.
“But once you are in there, it’s normal at the moment.
“But what we are doing is reminding the players of making sure we take care of ourselves, go back to wearing masks, not going to unnecessary places, and just trying to be a bit diligent - not just around football circumstances, but around the pandemic in general, the health and well-being of the people you are in contact with.
“The announcements over the last few days are just reminders that we’ve obviously still got a long way to go before we’re through the pandemic.
“Now we’ve got full stadiums - we get the best part of 30,000 here - it’s a lot of people all in one space. I know it’s predominantly outside, but it’s still an obvious area to spread the virus.
“We need to be really diligent, stick to the rules and guidance in place, and hopefully that can help minimise it.”
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