Seòmar agus comataidhean

If we are okay for time, convener, I will aim my next question at Professor Noakes. I want to follow up on what she said to Murdo Fraser. She talked about air-cleaning technologies and high-efficiency particulate filters, which I am trying to get my head round.

I have an issue with ScotRail, our railway operator. This might be slightly different from the situation with buildings, but ScotRail has some trains with locked windows. They could be opened, but they are not. I asked ScotRail whether it would be better to open the windows, but it said that its artificial air-circulation system is just as good as having the windows open. Is that likely to be true?

That is helpful.

Building on what folk have said so far, I have a couple of questions. First, I am assuming that older buildings might be better in this regard than newer buildings, because their ceilings are higher and they are probably more draughty because they are not as well sealed. I am thinking of public buildings and people’s homes. Is that a fair assumption?

I will build on some points that have already been raised, one being the question of when we will stop using vaccination certificates. I take it that, because the scheme is part of a package and we cannot tell what specific impact it is having, it will continue along with mask wearing and the other restrictions. Its use is linked to the overall numbers of cases and of people in hospital. Is that what you are saying?

That leads me to where I was going next. I understand that more venues in Wales, including cinemas, will require people to have a certificate. I have been enthusiastic about the certification scheme, including the fact that it is limited to what I would call extra activities or things that are not a major part of people’s lives. That has been a good way to deal with it.

However, it is clear that the scheme is beginning to expand—we can call it creep or whatever. I think that Professor Leitch said that more places are requiring certification. For example, I am going to a COP26 meeting on Monday night where they want to see my vaccination certificate. That event is important to me. I do not go to big football matches, as members know, so I have not needed to use my certificate much. Are you worried that organisations could be using the scheme excessively? How do you see the scheme working, moving forward?

What about employers who want their employees to have a certificate? Does that take it to another level of pressure?

Does Professor Leitch want to say something on that?

We have already covered quite a lot of ground. I note that in the amendment number 3 regulations, we are recognising mixed-dose vaccinations, both from this country and overseas. If I remember correctly, previously we were not mixing vaccines, and there was a bit of uncertainty about doing so. There was a suggestion that it might give greater protection, although there might be more side effects. Will you give us an update on that?

We have not mentioned vaccine certificates much today. Is there any evidence so far that they are encouraging people to get jags?

Following on from a question that was asked earlier—I cannot remember who asked it—does the length of protection vary for vaccines? I think that, at one point, there were figures that suggested that there was some variation.