MSPs have voted today to introduce vaccine passports in Scotland in an attempt to curb the spread of Covid.
The Scottish government proposed the plans last week but had to wait for the bill to be voted through Parliament.
Now, despite many Conservative, Lib Dem and Labour MSPs voting against the bill, the SNP and Green majority was enough to ensure that vaccine passports will be used in certain settings in Scotland.
Nicola Sturgeon has previously said that she believes vaccine passports could help with Scotland's emergence from the pandemic, and highlighted that other European countries had introuduced similar schemes.
Here's when you will need to use a vaccine passport in Scotland and when they will be introduced...
What is a vaccine passport?
A vaccine passport is essentially just proof that you have received both doses of the Covid vaccine.
Certain events will require evidence than you have been fully vaccinated before entry, which can be shown via a paper copy or a PDF downloadable online.
People who have a relevant reason for not being fully jabbed, such as children and people with particular medical conditions, will be exempt, as will those working at the venues.
When will I need to use a vaccine passport in Scotland?
Vaccine passports will be required in certain settings in Scotland, including:
- nightclubs
- indoor live events with 500+ people unseated
- outdoor live events with 4000+ people unseated
- any event with 10,000+ people
At the moment, they will not be used in general hospitality settings however this decision is being kept under review.
When will Covid vaccine passports be introduced?
When first proposing the scheme, Nicola Sturgeon said it would only be introduced once everyone over 18 had been offered both doses of the vaccine.
Now, it looks like the Scottish government will aim to launch the scheme on October 1 2021.
A new paper reads: "We intend the scheme to be ready to go live on October 1, 2021.
"This will give businesses time to prepare and more people to get vaccinated.
"It will also mean the scheme being introduced at the same time as the permanent digital solution for vaccination certification."
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