Covid - Scottish Vaccine Passports | Enforcement of new rules delayed

In an update to the Scottish Parliament this afternoon, the First Minister (Nicola Sturgeon) announced the proposed Vaccine Passport scheme will go ahead from 5am on Friday (1^st October) meaning people going to nightclubs and many other large events will need proof they have had two doses of vaccine; but the First Minister said there would now be a "grace period" until 18^th October.

This means that their will be no enforcement action taken against businesses before the 18^th October who fail to comply with the new requirements. Further ‘detailed’ guidance is due to be published later today and the Covid Status NHS app is due to go live on Thursday providing people with digital evidence of their vaccination status.

The First Minister stated that the new staged introduction is intended:

“…to help businesses  adapt to the requirement that the scheme will place upon them and give them a period in which they can operationalise and test their arrangements in practice.”

The new Vaccine Passport proposals have attracted criticism from a number of stake holders with threats of legal actions against the plans.  NITA are one such party threatening legal action.  The Scottish Conservatives are pressing for a vote at Holyrood on Wednesday on whether it should go ahead.

Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives said the announced delay showed that the "botched scheme” was "still not ready" just days before it is due to be introduced, and called for it to be scrapped completely.