Scotland's controversial Covid vaccine passport scheme could be rolled outing extended to more leisure facilities and indoor settings amid fears of rising cases, the SNP has revealed.
Scots are already required to show proof of being double jabbed to nightclubs and to other large-scale events – such as concerts and some football matches.
But deputy first minister John Swinney said they could roll out further restrictions, with 2,500 new cases a day and infections still at a "concerningly high level".
With the NHS already under “intense pressure”, Mr Swinney said that “some scenarios for what may happen next are very concerning”, telling MSPs there was a “need to avoid the most dangerous of those scenarios”.
He stressed that the Scottish Government wanted to avoid having to reimpose “the sort of strict lockdowns we had seen before most of us were vaccinated”.
But he insisted: “We do need to take appropriate measures to keep the pandemic under control."
Covid restrictions will remain in place but will be reviewed again next week.
Justifying the possible widening of Covid vaccine passports, Mr Swinney told MSPs: “We have been considering, for example, whether we may need to extend the Covid certification scheme to bring more settings into scope, such as further indoor hospitality and leisure settings.”
The coronavirus certification scheme requires people going to nightclubs and to other large-scale events – such as concerts and some football matches – to be able to prove they have received two doses of vaccine.
Other possible measures could see work being required to improve ventilation, steps to increase home working and “whether changes are needed to extend use of face coverings”.
Celtic fans queue to show their vaccine passports as they enter the ground before the UEFA Europa League Group G match at Celtic Park, Glasgow. Picture date: Tuesday October 18, 2021.
Andrew Milligan
He said, however, that no decisions had been made yet, and added that the Government would be “discussing options with business sector organisations this week”.
Mr Swinney admitted there were “some specific reasons to suspect that case numbers may increase in the weeks ahead” - with Glasgow hosting tens of thousands delegates for COP26.
The Deputy First Minister said: “With the onset of colder winter weather, increased time spent indoors means there will likely be more opportunities for Covid to circulate.
“Cop26 has seen people from all over the world meeting in Glasgow – and that presents a known infection risk. “And many of us will wish to spend time visiting loved ones over the festive period.”
But opposition MSPs raised concerns about the prospect of further restrictions.
The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Alex Cole-Hamilton, said his party had warned when the scheme came in “it would see the steady creep into other aspects of our lives” adding that “this statement is the start of that”.