Covid-19 passports become law for events in Scotland

Covid-19 passports are now enforceable by law at nightclubs and large events in Scotland.

The scheme became law on Monday morning (October 18) and means nightclubs and other large events, including football games, will only be able to allow entry to people who can prove they’ve had their Covid vaccinations.

The use of vaccine passports came into effect on October 1, with Scottish MPs backing the plans. Business were given a 17-day grace period to allow venues time to test ways of checking for vaccine status.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The grace period allowed venues and businesses affected more than two weeks to test the scheme in practice and make suitable arrangements.

“It has also provided the Government with helpful feedback from the sectors affected and we continue to liaise with them going forward.

“This is a very limited scheme and we hope this will allow businesses to remain open and prevent any further restrictions as we head into autumn and winter.”

Everyone over the age of 18 will now be expected to present proof they’ve had both doses of the Covid-19 jab before entering venues including:

• Nightclubs
• Unseated indoor events of more than 500 people
• Unseated outdoor events with more than 4,000 people
• Any event with more than 10,000 people

Mr Yousaf said the vaccine passport scheme adds a “further layer of protection” in scenarios where the virus is more likely to be transmitted.

“This virus has not gone away and vaccine certification will have a role to play in keeping transmission under control as part of a wider package of measures,” he added.

“I also want to ensure that as many people get vaccinated as possible and particularly to increase uptake in the younger age cohort, so anything to incentivise that is helpful.”

People in Scotland can download the NHS Scotland Covid Status App on their mobile, or can request a paper certification from NHS Inform.

Covid-19 passports were due to come into effect for nightclubs and events in England this month, but health secretary Sajid Javid scrapped the plans.

Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show Javid said the government would instead keep the plans “in reserve”.

The NHS App, which provides people in England and Wales with access to their Covid-19 passport, has been downloaded more than 12 million times since the feature was added.