Scotland inches closer to freedom from Covid curbs

Scotland inches closer to freedom from Covid curbs… four days after England axed ALL restrictions: Vaccine passport scheme ends and secondary school pupils can ditch masks in class but NOT in corridors

  • High school pupils and teachers no longer required to keep face coverings on
  • But they will still have to wear the masks in communal areas, such as corridors
  • The mandatory vaccine passport scheme is also being ended from this Monday
  • Curbs are due to be further eased, including more relaxing of face coverings

Scots are waking up to fewer coronavirus restrictions nearly two years after they were first imposed.

High school students and teachers are no longer required to keep face coverings on in classes – though they do still need to wear them in communal areas.

The mandatory vaccine passport scheme, which had applied to nightclubs and some large events, is also being ended.

This had required people to show their jab status before being allowed to enter clubs, and events such as some concerts and football matches.

Other restrictions are also due to be eased next month, with the legal requirement to wear face coverings in some settings to be ended then.

Despite this the Scottish Government will still ‘strongly recommend’ people continue to use them.

And the legal requirement for businesses to retain customer contact details in case this is needed for contact tracing is expected to end on March 21.

High school students and teachers are no longer required to keep face coverings on in classes – though they do still need to wear them in communal areas. Pictured: Nicola Sturgeon on Thursday

The mandatory vaccine passport scheme, which had applied to nightclubs and some large events, is also being ended (file photo)

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville welcomed the easing of restrictions in schools, with the ending of the need for face masks hailed as a ‘positive milestone’.

Ms Somerville said the removal of masks in classrooms ‘signals the possibility of a brighter future where schools can regain some normality’.

But she stressed those students and staff who choose to continue to wear face coverings would be supported to do so.

The Education Secretary said: ‘The last two years have been really tough for our children and young people.

‘Teachers and support staff have also had to operate in a challenging environment, but all have worked incredibly hard to deliver a quality learning experience for pupils.’

She continued: ‘The removal of the requirement to wear face coverings in classrooms is a positive milestone – it signals the possibility of a brighter future where schools can regain some normality.

‘And of course, pupils and staff who continue to choose to wear face coverings in class will be supported in doing so.’

Ms Somerville said: ‘We must not forget that Covid-19 has not gone away – we all still need to be on our guard and exercise caution.

‘Pupils and staff must still wear face coverings in communal areas and distancing rules still apply.

‘The last thing I want is to have measures in place for a minute longer than is necessary, but as we have done throughout this pandemic, we will continue to be guided by scientific and expert advice.’

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville (pictured) welcomed the easing of restrictions in schools, with the ending of the need for face masks hailed as a ‘positive milestone’

It comes as the UK’s data watchdog reprimanded the Scottish Government and NHS National Services Scotland over their failure to inform people how their personal information was used by the NHS Scotland Covid Status app.

The app is one method people can use to demonstrate their vaccination status for mandatory Covid status checks that are still in place for large events and nightclubs, though the vaccine passport scheme will end on Monday.

The Information Commissioner’s Office issued a reprimand to both bodies over their initial failure to provide adequate privacy information within the NHS Scotland Covid Status app when it launched to explain how people’s information is being used.

It said there has also been an ongoing failure to provide concise privacy information so that the average person can realistically understand how the NHS Scotland Covid Status app is using their information.

The ICO said it now expects the Scottish Government and NHS National Services Scotland to act swiftly on the findings and that if they fail to take action it will consider whether further regulatory action is required.

ICO deputy commissioner Steve Wood said: ‘People need to be able to share their data and go about their lives with confidence that their privacy rights will be respected.

‘The law enables responsible data sharing to protect public health but public trust is key to making that work.

‘When governments brought in Covid status schemes across the UK last year, it was vital that they were upfront with people about how their information was being used.

‘The Scottish Government and NHS National Services Scotland have failed to do this with the NHS Scotland Covid Status app.

‘We require both bodies to act now to give people clear information about what is happening with their data. If they don’t, we will consider further regulatory action.’

It comes as the UK’s data watchdog reprimanded the Scottish Government and NHS National Services Scotland over their failure to inform people how their personal information was used by the NHS Scotland Covid Status app (file photo)

The watchdog said it received the full details setting out how the NHS Scotland Covid Status app would be using people’s information on September 27, 2021, only three days before mandatory checks were due to be rolled out.

It said it had a number of concerns about the way the app was going to use people’s information, particularly the plans to let the NHS Scotland Covid Status app share the images and passport details of Scottish users with the software company providing the facial recognition technology behind the app.

The ICO said this proposal was there to help the company improve the facial recognition software behind the app, but would have been unlawful in these circumstances as it was not necessary for the app to function and served no benefit to the app user, while the proposal had also not been previously communicated to the ICO.

The watchdog advised that the app should not be launched until its concerns about potential non-compliance had been addressed and the Scottish Government and NHS National Services Scotland halted plans to share personal data with the software company.

But the ICO said the app was launched on September 30, 2021, as planned without fully addressing its wider concerns about compliance with data protection law.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The NHS Scotland Covid Status app was an important tool in our response to Covid-19, and has served a vital public health role during the pandemic.

‘Following the ICO’s investigation, the Scottish Government accepts that the privacy information in the app could have made it clearer to users how their information would be used.

‘However, it is important to stress that at all times people’s data was held securely and used appropriately.

‘Together with NHS National Services Scotland, we will continue to work with the ICO to implement the improvements they have asked for, and ensure that lessons are learned for future work.’

Mary Morgan, chief executive of NHS National Services Scotland (NSS), said NSS accepts the findings of the ICO and recognises that the privacy information could have been clearer for users.

She said: ‘We have already put improvement measures in place and will continue to work closely with the ICO and Scottish Government to ensure that all learning is applied.’

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