Yahoo Finance Covid: Vaccine passport scheme enforceable by law in Scotland
Enforcement of the Scottish Government’s Covid vaccine passport scheme came into effect on Monday morning, with proof of vaccination now required to enter nightclubs and large events.
Scottish citizens will need to show proof they have received both doses in order to attend events with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor events with over 4,000 and any event with more than 10,000 people.
The measures technically came into effect on October 1, but an 18-day grace period was announced following a backlash from affected industries and issues with the new app.
Scots will be able to display their proof of vaccination through a QR code on the new app or with a paper copy of their certificate.
However, the new app has been plagued with problems since its launch, with Scottish Labour spokesperson Jackie Baillie branding it a “predictable disaster”.
Speaking on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Monday, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said more than 700,000 people had downloaded the app, and a further 750,000 people have a paper copy of their vaccination status.
He also addressed security concerns following claims that too much information was being showed venues through the app’s verification software.
Mr Yousaf said: “(The verification app) shows that you’ve been vaccinated, the date of that vaccination and your name – it wouldn’t be your full medical record and anyone suggesting that is incorrect.
“What we’re hoping to do is provide an update actually in the course of this week, where your name will come up and a green tick will come up, so even less information actually from this week will be available for domestic certification purposes.”
Councils are responsible for ensuring venues and businesses are checking vaccine status.
The move marks a departure from policy in England, where plans to introduce Covid passports were shelved last month.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced that the policy – scheduled to begin on 1 October – would no longer go ahead following a rebellion by Tory backbenchers and business leaders.
Watch: COVID-19: Scotland's vaccine passport app hit by technical glitch hours after launch
Read More
Covid new infections jump to 49,156 as No10 warn of challenging winter
Richmond gains capital’s highest Covid rate as cases double
Deichmann boosts UK store footprint despite Covid-19 disruption
