Check-In Scotland is a new app that will allow businesses and people to quickly share their contact details when visiting a venue.

Businesses that can use Check in Scotland include: 

• pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes
• tourism and leisure businesses, such as theme parks, museums and cinemas
• close contact services, including hairdressers, barbers, beauticians, tattooists, sports and massage therapists
• services run by local councils, such as libraries, leisure centres and registration offices
• cremation authorities, burial authorities, places of worship or funeral director service rooms offering funeral services
• places of worship

The Check In Scotland service is designed to complement the separate Protect Scotland app, which alerts users if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Check in Scotland service will enable people to quickly and securely provide their contact details by scanning the official Test & Protect Check in Scotland QR code poster via their smartphone camera or by downloading the Check in Scotland app.

Any contact details collected will be held in a secure, encrypted data store unique to each venue for 21 days. Unless information is requested by public health officials as part of their contact tracing efforts, visitor data is automatically deleted on day 22. Venue and visitor details will not be used for any other purpose.

For more information, go to: mygov.scot/help-qr-check-in

The Check In Scotland app is available to download for free via the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for anyone over the age of 12.

The free NHS Scotland contact tracing app can be accessed here:  Protect Scotland app

Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said:

“As travel, retail and hospitality restrictions begin to ease and venues start to re-open, it’s vital that any close contacts of new positive cases can be quickly contacted and given advice to self-isolate.

“Check in Scotland is designed to give businesses an easy way to collect contact details from customers for contact tracing purposes. It is entirely voluntary and up to individual venues to decide what method they prefer to use to collect the required contact details.

“Together with the Protect Scotland app, Check in Scotland will help contact tracers reach people faster if there are coronavirus (COVID-19) cases linked to a venue they have recently visited.

“The faster we can contact people who might have been exposed to COVID-19, the faster we can stop the spread of the virus, and keep moving towards the return of everyday activities.”

The public health advice remains:

• wear a face covering
• avoid crowded places
• clean hands and surfaces regularly
• stay 2m away from other people
• self-isolate and get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms