Covid Scotland: booster jag not yet added to vaccine passport by today's deadline

People who have received booster doses of the Covid vaccination are not able to show proof of their jag after the Scottish Government’s app did not update by today’s deadline.

The Scottish Government had pledged that the booster jab would be added to vaccine passports by today.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney earlier this week said that booster doses would be added to the Scottish Covid vaccine passport app no later than today, 9 December.

However, people who have received the third jag have found that their vaccination has not been uploaded to the app, which means they cannot currently plant to travel to countries which require a triple dose from 15 December.

One man told The Scotsman that his booster had not uploaded to his app – and the NHS Scotland vaccine helpline could not advise him when it would be done.

He said: “Despite Depute First Minister John Swinney’s announcement this week, that booster jab information would be placed on the Covid status app on the 9th December, it’s not been done. I’ve phoned the helpline, and they have confirmed that it’s not happened, and they know nothing about it.”

The addition to the app will allow Scots to travel to European countries which plan to include booster jags as a certification requirement from December 15, Deputy First Minister John Swinney told Holyrood’s Covid-19 Recovery Committee on Thursday.

However, boosters, which are currently open to everyone over 40 who had their second dose more than three months ago, will only be included in the section of the app designed for international travel, rather than that intended for domestic use such as access to nightclubs or sporting events.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The booster will be added to the app today. People do not need to redownload the app and records will be updated over today.”

Plans to add the booster come ahead of a change to the vaccine certification scheme that will allow Scots to use proof of a negative lateral flow test as an alternative to a vaccine passport from earlier this week. These tests are not be incorporated into the app. Instead, people will be asked to show NHS notifications confirming a negative test.

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