Scotland to Switch Off COVID-19 Vaccine Passports for Domestic Use

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her deputy John Swinney arrive to give a COVID-19 update at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, on Nov. 23, 2021. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The Scottish government said it will “switch off” its COVID-19 vaccine passport scheme for domestic use, saying it would “no longer be appropriate” as free testing has been scrapped.

Under the mandatory vaccine passport scheme, which came into effect in October 2021, Scots had to show their vaccination status before entering a nightclub or attending a large event, such as some concerts and football matches.

While the mandatory scheme came to an end on Feb. 28, the vaccine passport app remained operational, allowing businesses to use it on a voluntary basis if they wished to do so.

But on April 19, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the domestic function of the app would be “switched off,” as it “would no longer be appropriate” for businesses and venues to continue using it after free universal testing was scrapped the day before.

Swinney said: “Given the change in guidance on April 18 on asymptomatic testing and the ceasing of the universal testing offer as set out in the Test and Protect Transition Plan, it would no longer be appropriate for COVID Status Certification to be used domestically.

“We have, therefore, removed the guidance for customers and businesses on domestic certification from the Scottish government website and the domestic function of the COVID Status app will be switched off shortly at a date to be agreed in line with the rest of the UK.”

Alex Cole-Hamilton, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, said the use of domestic vaccine passports must not be allowed to return at a later date.

He said his party had opposed vaccine passports from the very start because “they don’t keep people safe.”

“This faulty scheme should never have begun, let alone run for six months at a cost of £30,000 ($39,000) a day,” he said.

He urged the government led by the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Greens to “commit today to not bring it back,” adding: “We can’t afford for them to switch it back on the next time they need to pretend they have a situation under control.”

Scotland ended all legal COVID-19 virus restrictions in the region on April 18.

In addition to the end of the mask mandates, people without symptoms of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus are no longer being asked to take regular lateral flow tests.

Until the end of April, people with symptoms are still asked to isolate and get a PCR test.

From April 30, test sites will close and people with symptoms will no longer be advised that they need to seek a test.

The public health advice for people who feel unwell will be to stay at home until they feel better, to reduce the risk of infecting other people.

PA Media contributed to this report.