The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 and The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 2022: equality impact assessment

Legislative amendments

Since these regulations were amended in early December, the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 has emerged and is now dominant in Scotland. There is evidence to indicate Omicron is more transmissible than other variants and partially escapes immunity from vaccines as well as previous infections ^[3]. The modelling in Scotland up to 3 January 2022 estimates a doubling time of 3.88-3.95 days^[4]. Omicron became the dominant variant in Scotland on 17 December 2021.^[5]

Covid Status Certification has been amended so that the definition of "fully vaccinated" includes the requirement for a booster vaccination if a person's primary course of an MHRA vaccine was more than 120 days ago. These amendments come into force on 17 January 2022. The amendments to the definition of late night venue come into force on 24th January 2022.

Ministers must review The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021 (which makes provision for Covid Status Certification) at least every 3 weeks to assess whether any requirement in the regulations is still necessary to prevent, protect against or provide a public health response to the incidence or spread of infection in Scotland.

We will continue to assess whether any less intrusive measures could be introduced to achieve the same combination of policy objectives in respect of the higher risk sectors concerned; if so, the requirements will be immediately reviewed.

Sectorial Guidance is published on the Scottish Government website. Guidance for the wider public is published on the Scottish Government website.