Partygoers could be offered Covid vaccine at nightclubs in Scotland

The Times reported that the proposal, in its early stages, would seek to boost the vaccine uptake among younger age groups.

There have been concerns over vaccine uptake among young people with the Office for National Statistics finding that between seven and 10% of adults under 30 in Great Britain have expressed hesitancy about having a jag, compared with 4% for the entire adult population

There are also concerns over vaccinating drunk people but the newspaper reported that some in the Government think it could be a useful way to roll out the vaccine quickly.

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The plan, if enacted, would be the first of its kind in the UK. 

Sturgeon has said that the reopening of the nighttime economy could be an effective way of "accessing young people".

The most recent statistics show 72.5% of 18 to 29-year-olds have received their first dose of a Covid vaccine while 24.2% have received a second.

Meanwhile, requiring clubbers to wear face coverings could be “a bit tricky”, Scotland’s Covid Recovery Secretary has conceded.

John Swinney said discussions will take place with industry leaders ahead of clubs reopening on Monday.

The Deputy First Minister said while customers are expected to wear a face mask when moving around in a bar or restaurant, dancing in a nightclub is a “slightly different situation”.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme today, Swinney said: “Where there are existing requirements to wear face coverings in congested public places, moving around in hospitality, in public transport, in all these contexts, people should continue to wear face coverings.”

But he said there is a “specific issue” with nightclubs.

“We will have discussions with the Nighttime Industries Association and nightclubs in the course of today about that very issue,” Swinney said.

Asked if it would be practical for people to wear face coverings in clubs, he said: “I think it is a bit tricky. That is why we’re having those discussions. And we could only finalise those discussions once we had taken the strategic decision to allow nightclubs to reopen and what conditions would generally operate within society.

“If people are sitting down at a table and having a drink you can say the hospitality rules apply there and people don’t have to wear a face covering, but if somebody is up dancing, which they are inevitably moving around, the existing rules say they should wear a face covering – but I accept that in a night club that is quite a challenge.

“That is why we are having the discussions and we will iron those issues out in consultation with the sector in the course of today.”

He stressed such issues are “not black and white”, adding: “We’re trying to take steps which minimise the circulation of the virus and we’re trying to do that as practically as possible with the grain of how people want to live their lives.

“I don’t think it’s a particular hardship for people when they get up from a table, if they are having a drink to go to the toilet, they put on a face covering to move through because they will be encountering other people away from the group that they are in.

“I do accept, however, that if you are dancing in a nightclub it is a slightly different situation.”

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It comes as Scotland moves beyond Level 0 from August 9 which will see most coronavirus restrictions scrapped, including social distancing.

Speaking during a virtual meeting of the Scottish Parliament, which is currently in recess, Sturgeon explained that a “number of mitigation measures” will remain in place beyond August 9.

"The move beyond level 0 will entail the lifting of most of the remaining legally imposed restrictions – most notably, on physical distancing and limits to the size of social gatherings," she explained.

"Declaring freedom from, or victory over, this virus is premature."