Vaccine passports will be needed for entry to nightclubs and large-scale events in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The first minister told MSPs that the “limited use of vaccine certification” could help control the spread of COVID-19 through autumn and winter.

Record numbers of new infections and rising hospital admissions mean the situation is “fragile and serious”, she added.

Passports are not being considered for the hospitality industry as a whole, and children and adults with certain medical conditions will be exempt.

The new rules – if approved by parliament in a vote next week – will cover indoor live events with more than 500 unseated people, outdoor live events with more than 4,000 unseated people and any event with over 10,000 attendees.

Ms Sturgeon said: “The Scottish government has made it clear that we do not believe that vaccination certification should ever be a requirement for any key services or in settings where people have no choice over attendance – for example, public transport, education, access to medical services or shops. We continue to hold to that position.”

Time was key, she added, saying: “For any decision of this nature to have an impact before winter, we would have to take and implement it quickly.”

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