Official: COVID-19 vaccination or negative LFT required to watch Chelsea in person

As we attempt to resume somewhat normal lives following 18 months of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing that’s holding us back is the threat of variants (such as the more transmissible “Delta” variant) as well as low and/or decreasing vaccination rates. The UK’s actually doing better than almost any other large country in the world at 55% of the general population already achieving full vaccination status, but there’s still a long ways to go especially as the issue keeps turning political, which it isn’t. (Science!)

If you need another reason to get vaccinated however other than to protect yourself from severe illness, hospitalization, or death, not to mention help societies and economies stay open and avoid more lockdowns, you will also need it to get into Stamford Bridge or Kingsmeadow to watch Chelsea play live and in person. As announced by the club this morning, you can also get in by passing a Lateral Flow Test (LFT) within 48 hours prior to a match, but it sure seems easier and much less of a hassle just to get jabbed a couple times.

These requirements will be checked at entry just as a ticket would be, and you’ll have to show proof via either the NHS App or a vaccination letter (or the result from NHS Test & Trace in case of an LFT).

Similar requirements will likely be in place at every stadium in the Premier League (starting October 1, at the latest), with the league itself also set to require vaccination for every player.

As Lil Jon so presciently predicted back in 2009:

Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots
Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots
Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots
Everybody!