Always read the small print

 I have scored a last minute ticket to the Wales New Zealand game in Cardiff on Saturday, but that means I will need a COVID pass.

I am a bit anxious about using the NHS App for it, because my ailing phone is held together with string and even if there was enough room on it for the app I can easily imagine the battery giving up the ghost just when I needed it over the weekend.

It turns out though that you can also get something called a a digital NHS COVID Pass that can be downloaded as a PDF - see Getting a digital NHS COVID Pass - NHS (www.nhs.uk).

I went through all the rigmarole (actually it was quite easy as I had my NHS number to hand) this morning and everything was fine until I looked at the product and found it said barcode expires: 29 October 2021 at 6.54 AM; two not thirty days after it was generated. I tried again 20 minutes later and just got another that expired 20 minutes later.

If you've had:

• a vaccine used in the UK – your NHS COVID Pass lasts for 30 days, but the 30 day period refreshes every time you log in
• a negative PCR test or rapid lateral flow test – your NHS COVID Pass is valid for 48 hours after a negative result

There must be a bug in the system that is giving me some kind of hybrid of the 30 day vaccination pass and the two day flow test.

There is a helpful notice saying "If you’re not sure why you’ve been sent a file, or you have any questions, email covid19cert.no-reply@nhs.net," but the no-reply in the email address doesn't give me any great hope.

I will just have to print out a new cert Friday morning.