Covid travel misery for fully-vaccinated patients missing from Scots jag database

The Herald has previously revealed how hundreds of Scots had jammed the Covid certificate helpline over missing or incorrect vaccine records, which may also become mandatory for entry into some domestic venues.

READ MORE: Covid certificate helpline jammed as hundreds of Scots worried about missing and incorrect vaccine details

Ms Rizzato, who has lived in the UK in 1994 and holds British citizenship, is desperate to visit her sister in Milan who she last saw in February 2020.

Italy is open to fully vaccinated visitors from the UK if they test negative for Covid prior to departure and self-isolate for five days on arrival.

However, from August 6 Italy's nationwide 'green pass' system also means that anyone wanting to dine at restaurants or visit any leisure venues such as cinemas, gyms and swimming pools must have proof of at least one vaccination, otherwise they must have evidence of prior infection or a negative test within the prior 48 hours.

The Italian government is also considering requiring the green pass for travel by train, plane and long-distance bus within the country from September.

"I haven't seen [my sister] since February 2020," said Ms Rizzato.

"I've missed every window of opportunity because of the constantly changing situation with this virus, and now they will have these compulsory green passes but I can't even prove that I've had this vaccine."

Paola Rizzato at home in Yorkhill, Glasgow

Despite having registered with a GP surgery in Glasgow, Ms Rizzato never received any vaccination appointment letters from the NHS.

She was eventually invited by telephone to attend the SSE Hydro in Glasgow in May and obtained her second Covid jag by visiting a drop-in clinic at the city's mosque in mid-July.

However, there is no trace of her on NHS Inform.

“I think my details have never been put into that system,” said Ms Rizzato, who is self-employed.

She has contacted the Covid vaccination status helpline who told her they would “escalate” her case and praised a “very helpful” NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, who emailed NHS National Services Scotland – the quango overseeing the vaccination programme and helplines – on her behalf, attaching a screenshot of her GP vaccine record showing the she was fully inoculated.

However, there is still no record of her on the central database.

READ MORE: Travel woe for England-vaccinated Gran who cannot get Scots vaccine certificate

"Someone somewhere must be in charge of NHS Inform, but it's as if nobody is," said Ms Rizzato.

"It's like being trapped in this crazy bureaucratic nightmare."

Meanwhile, a family-of-four from Bute have been forced to postpone a planned trip to France for a fourth time due to vaccine certificate errors.

Former teacher Andrea Dow, 49, was fully vaccinated at the island's GP practice in May and July this year but there is no record of her second Covid jag in her certificate.

She needs to prove she is fully vaccinated to visit her mother in France, but currently only has a GP printout confirming the dates for both her vaccinations - but this is not valid for travel.

Andrea Dow with children Anna (13) and Robin (9) and husband Richard Whitcomb

For now, the family have rescheduled the trip for later in August but this would mean taking the two children - who have not seen their grandmother in two years - out of school.

Ms Dow's husband, Richard Whitcomb, said: "It's not ideal, and of course there's no guarantee it'll be sorted.

"If somebody could say 'yes, someone is looking at it and it'll definitely be sorted in 10 days or even a month' then we could actually plan, but we can't.

"Each time we've called [the helpline], which is four if not five times, they've all said they will 'put an alert on it'. That's the terminology.

"That's the frustrating thing - I don't actually think they can help.

"So where has it gone?

"No system is foolproof but there doesn't seem to be a manual override anywhere, or at least not one we can find.

"If the helpline could just fix it. You'd think that's something they might be able to do."

READ MORE: Jag record blunder leaves couple unable to visit son in Israel

A Scottish Government spokesman apologised and said it was now looking into both cases following contact from the Herald, adding that Ms Rizzato's case had been "resolved" by last night with official "still working" on Ms Dow's certificate.

He added: “The vaccinations status helpline has helped thousands of people and we are working hard to ensure everyone who calls it gets the support and advice that they need.”