Nicola Sturgeon was left behind on her vaccine passport plans yesterday as Boris Johnson heavily brushed aside proposals for a similar program in the South.
The prime minister has faced mounting pressure to abandon the adamant policy of entering nightclubs, events and football fields from 1 October following the UK government’s change of heart.
Hospitality owners immediately urged Ms Sturgeon to follow suit – and Scottish Professional Football League boss Neil Doncaster has warned of fans’ fury if clubs were to verify the jug position of every fan on the turnstile.
Amid the onslaught of critics, Lib Dames said the move meant the Tories in England were “more concerned with medical privacy than the SNP-Greens coalition.”
Ms Sturgeon defended her plan in an interview with Sky News when asked about a suggestion by one of her pandemic advisers that passports could make people reluctant to vaccinate to reduce the chance of being bitten.
Unaware of Sunday newspaper reports that the British leader was scrapping his plans, he said: “This is a very limited programme, as is also being offered to England, and he has a role to play.
“Will this reduce the chances of unvaccinated people showing up?” I don’t think there is any evidence for this.
But minutes later, on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show, UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed that England’s juggling scheme had been scrapped for now.
Following this abrupt change, Stephen Montgomery of Scottish Hospitality Group said: “I would call on the Scottish Government to follow suit and look for other ways to attract young people to vaccination.
“We have always said that this policy is without any evidence. ”
Mr Montgomery said the sites would be hit financially and the checks and queues could turn punters away.
Meanwhile, Mr Doncaster said BBC Scotland clubs were puzzled over how they would run the programme – and whether season ticket holders who were denied entry could be eligible for a refund.
SPFL chief Neil Doncaster says vaccine passport ‘unviable’ as pressure mounts on Nicola Sturgeon to abandon plan
Calling for a spot check instead of the usual oversight, he said: “What we are asking for is a way to present a vaccine passport that we believe will be manageable and safe in a timely manner. We have very little.”
“We saw in the Scotland-Moldova game, the slightest change in technique led to queues at the turnstiles. It ended with a lot of anger. “
Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “It is sad that the Conservative government in Westminster cares more about the privacy of medical data than the SNP-Green coalition. The solution to the current crisis is vaccination and a working contact tracing system, Not the Covid ID card.”
And Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross accused the SNP of “bulldozing” its plan through Holyrood – where the SNP-Green coalition put it forward last week – without giving any idea how. He will get a living.
proof of vaccine
As part of this program, nightclubs, strip bars, indoor standings events with more than 500 people, indoor standings events for more than 4,000 people, with a QR code or printed certificate as proof of double tap status This will require access to external programs. and any event with a capacity of more than 10,000 people.
The Scottish government is hoping this will encourage jabs among young adults. But opponents say the benefits may be limited and do not justify the invasion of privacy and cost to businesses.
England’s plans for a similar program were first announced in July – to critics of the Nets administration.
UK officials said it was lifted because the COVID situation there is “not as bad as some feared at this point”, but could also happen later this year if needed.
British government transfer
But some conservative and critical lawmakers have said the regime could lead to a two-tier society.
Ms Sturgeon’s televised interview came after one of her pandemic advisors, University of St Andrews behavioral expert Professor Stephen Reicher, suggested that politics could backfire.
He praised the UK move, but said: ‘As much as I would like to believe the government was following the science, I suspect it had more to do with the surrender of Tory MPs. Sanctions. ”
Professor Reacher also said that other measures to boost jab uptake should also be considered, including an increase in “community engagement”.
Sajid Javid confirms that people will not need a Covid Vaccine passport to enter nightclubs and cinemas
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