Covid passports needed for large events in Scotland

Nicola Sturgeon has announced that vaccine passports will be needed for entry into nightclubs and large events in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon has announced today, September 1, that vaccine passports will be needed for entry into nightclubs and large events in Scotland.

The first minister said that the “limited use of vaccine certification” could help to curb the spread of Covid in autumn and winter.

Sturgeon said numbers of new infections are currently 80 per cent higher than last week and five times higher than four weeks ago, describing these figures as “extremely concerning.”

The situation has also been made “fragile and serious” by the rising hospital admissions, according to Sturgeon.

If the new rules are approved by parliament next week, they will affect live events with more than 500 people unseated, outdoor live events with over 4,000 people unseated and outdoor events with more than 10,000 people.

Sturgeon said that although these events “matter to our economy, and to our cultural and social life,” they are “not essential services” and bring “many people together in relatively small areas.”

“By ensuring that people entering these settings are fully vaccinated, we would be taking a proportionate step to help make these settings safer for everyone attending and, by extension, for all of us,” she said.

Sturgeon told parliament: “The Scottish government has made it clear that we do not believe that vaccination certification should ever be a requirement for any key services or in settings where people have no choice over attendance – for example, public transport, education, access to medical services or shops. We continue to hold to that position.”

According to Sky News, she added that timing is key: “For any decision of this nature to have an impact before winter, we would have to take and implement it quickly.”

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