Question reference: S6W-02798
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 14 September 2021
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Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 October 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to allow the COVID-19 vaccination status of people normally resident in Scotland to be recorded as fully vaccinated if they have received (a) an NHS-approved vaccine outside of the UK in an EU member state or as part of a UK vaccine roll-out overseas, (b) a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency or Swiss vaccination programme in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City and (c) a vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States; when it plans to implement any such changes, and what exemptions will be made for people normally resident in Scotland who work abroad and have received one or both doses of a vaccine in a country that is not included in any of these situations.
Answer
Fully vaccinated means that it has been at least 14 days since your final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine. To count as fully vaccinated, you must have been vaccinated in either:
1. The UK, including part of a UK vaccine rollout overseas - with an NHS approved vaccine.
2. An EU member state – with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
3. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City - with a vaccine approved by the EMA or the Swiss vaccination programme
4. The USA – with a vaccine authorised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
If you’ve not been vaccinated in one of these countries, with an approved vaccine, you should follow the rules for someone who has not been fully vaccinated.
If you live in Scotland and you've received your first, second or both vaccine doses outside of Scotland but in the Common Travel Area, you can get your coronavirus vaccination status via the normal process as records should transfer over to the Scottish system: Get a record of your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination status | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot) . If your data is not showing you should phone the COVID-19 Vaccination Status Helpline on 0808 196 8565.
If you have moved to/from Scotland during the vaccine process and only had 1 dose here it is possible to request proof of the single dose you received in Scotland through the normal process. You will need to request proof of your other dose from the country you received it in.
If you received both doses in another Common Travel Area country, you'll need to request your vaccination status from that country.
If you received 1 or both doses in an international country you will need to request proof of those vaccines from that country.