Question reference: S6W-05426
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 24 December 2021
-
Current status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 January 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will designate Stena Line ferry services from Cairnryan as a vital service, and therefore exempt from the 10-day self-isolation rule if staff are fully vaccinated and have a negative lateral flow test, in order to ensure those services continue to operate.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the critical importance of the Stena Line ferry service from Loch Ryan Port to Belfast. On 22 December the Scottish Government approved an application from Stena Line for an exemption to allow their essential workers to volunteer to leave self-isolation and return to work. Under the critical workers exemption process, before a staff member who is a close contact of a positive case can return to work there are a number of requirements they must adhere to, including having had their second COVID-19 vaccination more than 14 days previously and have evidence of a negative PCR test.