This week's bulletin includes:
- Event COVID Insurance
- Vaccine Certification in Scotland
- Northern Ireland Relaxations
- Social Impacts of Coronavirus
Event COVID Insurance
The headline rules for the Live Events Reinsurance Scheme have been published here. Full scheme rules will be available in due course.
Vaccine Certification in Scotland
The Scottish Parliament has approved the use of Coronavirus vaccination certificates to enter some events and higher risk venues. The Scheme will come into effect from 1 October and aims to reduce risk while enabling events to take place where transmission is a higher risk. It also aims to encourage uptake of the vaccine. From 30 September, people will be able to use the NHS Scotland Covid Status App which also has a QR code, to access venues where certification is required. From this date the current downloadable PDF function will be switched off. Anyone unable or unwilling to use the App can request a secure uneditable paper record of vaccination, with enhanced security features such as thermodynamic ink to prevent forgery. The verifier app will be called ‘NHS Scotland Covid Check’.
Proof of vaccination will be required to a number of places, including unseated indoor live events, with more than 500 people in the audience; unseated outdoor live events, with more than 4,000 people in the audience; and any event, of any nature, which has more than 10,000 people in attendance
Staff at venues affected will be able to download a "verifier app" to a smartphone or device from next week, ahead of the launch, which will allow digital checks on the certification status of those attending. Guidance will be provided for venues on how to use the app, along with options to integrate it into their own systems as the source code is open. Under 18s and adults who are ineligible for vaccination will be exempt.
Northern Ireland Relaxations
The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed on a number of modest relaxations to the current Coronavirus Regulations with effect at 5pm on Friday 10 September 2021 including allowing indoor, live performance events (concerts and gigs) to take place without tickets having to be purchased in advance or allocated seating. However, customers must still be seated and the requirement to record contact details for all attendees continues. In addition, the current restriction on dancing in indoor settings is removed insofar as it applies to post wedding and civil partnership celebrations.
Social Impacts of Coronavirus
ONS has published the latest wave of their research on the social impacts of coronavirus. The key findings from this wave, which is for the period 25 August to 5 September, are:
- 87% of adults still felt that measures to slow the spread of coronavirus either very important or important
- 46% of adults always or often maintain social distancing
- 11% of all adults were asked for vaccination or test proof during the week – mostly to attend festivals. sporting events or care settings
You can see the report here