Corona pandemic: EU vaccination certificates without booster will be valid for nine months in future

Corona pandemic
EU vaccination certificates without booster will now be valid for nine months

Without a booster, EU vaccination certificates will no longer be valid nine months after the basic immunization. The decision will take effect on February 1, as announced by the EU Commission.

Theoretically, the EU countries can still use a veto, but this is as good as impossible. The regulation was agreed with the EU states and will also be mentioned in the latest summit resolution, according to a commission spokesman.

Boosters after six months

Booster vaccinations are therefore recommended no later than six months after the full vaccination. The vaccination certificate should be valid for three more months before it expires, so that you have enough time to get a booster vaccination.

The EU vaccination certificate consists of a QR code that is created directly after the vaccination in practices and vaccination centers or is subsequently available in Germany, for example in pharmacies. The code can be displayed in a smartphone app and can be read out digitally. The codes are recognized everywhere in the EU despite different apps in the individual countries and make it easier to provide evidence of vaccinations, fresh tests and recently recovered infections with the coronavirus when traveling.

EU Commission President Ursula der Leyen had already announced after the EU summit last week that her authority would promptly submit a regulation with a view to the EU vaccination certificate. Before this year’s summer season, the EU countries and the EU Parliament had agreed on the final details of the Europe-wide certificates. They are now recognized in numerous countries outside of the EU.

dpa