SNP considers pub ban for unvaccinated

‘It may be an added layer of protection and mitigation – not a silver bullet, but worth considering’

NICOLA STURGEON has said she is “actively considering” banning unvaccinated Scots from pubs, after the return of schools in Scotland contributed to a record surge in coronavirus cases.

In a pandemic briefing, the First Minister paved the way for a vaccine passport scheme north of the Border, after admitting she was worried about modelling that suggests hospital admissions could hit record levels over coming weeks, despite the vast majority of adults in the country being fully jabbed.

Yesterday, the number of cases reported in Scotland rose to 6,835 – the highest daily total since the start of the pandemic. The mid-august return of schools in Scotland is thought to have fuelled the rise, which has seen case numbers roughly double in a week. Around a third of the new cases are in people who have been fully vaccinated.

There were 479 people in Scottish hospitals with coronavirus yesterday, well below January’s peak of 2,053, although yesterday’s figure had risen by almost a quarter since Wednesday.

Ms Sturgeon rejected speculation that she was considering imposing a “circuit breaker” lockdown, although she did not rule out reimposing “limited” restrictions over the coming days. Despite her deputy previously criticising Boris Johnson’s plan to mandate vaccine passports for nightclubs and large events in England, she also said she was considering a certification scheme that would go far further by requiring Scots to prove they have been jabbed to enter pubs. “Places where it’s optional [to visit], we all have a choice whether we go to, it may be an added layer of protection and mitigation – not a silver bullet, but an added layer that will be worth considering,” she said. “We are actively considering that.”

She said that pubs were among the “optional” places to which a Scottish vaccine passport scheme could apply.

Her comments came after Alister Jack, the Scottish Secretary, told Politico a new vote on Scottish independence could be held only if 60 per cent of Scots wanted one “but that’s not where we are and it’s not how I perceive things to be”.

Asked about Mr Jack’s comments, Ms Sturgeon accused him of “making up constitutional rules as he goes along”.