IT'S tempting to share the good news of a negative Covid test with friends on social media – but there are some very good reasons why you shouldn't.

Security experts have warned Brits not to post pictures of lateral flow tests online as scammers use the image to supply fake coronavirus passes.

Meanwhile, there are fears those who are still infected could steal the pictures to avoid isolation.

And burglars may target houses they know are empty if a person provides a negative result and isn't confined to their home.

It comes as millions of people around the country take PCR and lateral flow tests to check if they have super-infectious mutation Omicron.

A string of positive studies show the variant is milder than other strains, with the first official UK report revealing the risk of hospitalisation is 50 to 70 per cent lower than with Delta.

Covid booster jabs protect against Omicron and offer the best chance to get through the pandemic, health officials have repeatedly said.

The Sun's Jabs Army campaign is helping get the vital extra vaccines in Brits' arms to ward off the need for any new restrictions.

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But as more people than ever get tested, they're urged to stay safe online – and keep others out of harm's way.

“We have seen fake documentation for many years," said Shahzad Ali, CEO of Get Licensed.

"For example, fake IDs have been a regular feature at nightclubs for a number of years.

"This is just a new complication that door supervisors will soon become used to facing.

"It was always inevitable that fake Covid passes would start to appear as soon as there were rumours of them being introduced."

Criminals who do steal a photo of someone else's test to create a counterfeit pass can be slapped with a £10,000 fine, he said.

“There is obviously going to be a market for Covid passes.

CRIMINAL GANGS STRIKE

"There will be people who want to go about their life as normal and not have to take Covid tests for things they didn’t have to before, so it is extremely important that you look after your Covid pass.

"Our advice would be to avoid posting it on social media, don’t share the code from the lateral flow you have taken because others could register it as their test.

“Covid passes will potentially make door supervisors' jobs much more difficult.

"When we consider the consequences of people who are especially forthcoming with their beliefs, it could make the job much more dangerous.”

Fake EU Covid certificates are already being advertised online by criminal groups.

And there are concerns gangs could capitalise in the UK too.

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A pass is needed for venues including clubs and indoor, non-seated events for more than 500 people.

They also need to be shown at outdoor non-seated events for more than 4,000 people, as well as any setting where more than 10,000 will gather.

Anyone heading out for New Year's Eve tonight is urged to take a lateral flow, celebrate outside or in a well-ventilated room and get jabbed if they haven't already.

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