It was longed for for months, almost as a promise for free travel despite the pandemic. On July 1st it will be digital COVID certificate from the EU now – comparatively unspectacular – officially introduced. But what is the point in practice? The most important questions and answers.
Does the Covid certificate replace the yellow vaccination certificate?
No. In the future, holidaymakers will be able to travel with the yellow vaccination certificate, both domestically and abroad. However, the Covid certificate is intended to set an EU-wide uniform standard and thus facilitate evidence and controls in connection with Corona. It can also be loaded onto a smartphone, making it more practical in everyday life than the yellow paper booklet, which does not tolerate frequent showing. Covid certificates can also be issued for test results and evidence of recovery. This is not currently possible in Germany, but should be made possible in the coming weeks.
What information does the certificate contain?
The certificate contains the person’s name and date of birth, as well as information on the time of vaccination and the vaccine, or alternatively, in the future, a test result or recovery from a corona infection. A QR code with an electronic signature makes it forgery-proof. It is also required to save the information on the cell phone. To do this, the QR code with the CovPass app from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) or with the Corona warning app from the federal government scanned and sent once to the RKI server for the electronic signature, but deleted there again immediately. The data is then only stored on the smartphone. Two weeks after the last required injection – it is one for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and two for the other vaccines approved in the EU – the status “Complete vaccination protection” is displayed. We are still working on a solution for those who have recovered, for whom in Germany one syringe is sufficient to be considered fully vaccinated.
The paper printout of the certificate should be carefully kept in case the cell phone is changed at any time, for example. A copy in your luggage is also useful in order to be able to prove the vaccination even if the device has been lost on vacation or has sunk into the sea beyond recovery. Several certificates can be stored in the app at the same time, such as children’s vaccinations. The Covid certificate is often referred to as the “green passport” – it does not replace a passport or identity card.
Where can I get the Covid certificate?
They are exhibited in the vaccination centers and in pharmacies, and occasionally in medical practices. In Germany, more than 32 million people are now in possession of such a certificate. If you get your syringe in a vaccination center, you will usually also receive a printout with the QR code. If the vaccination was a long time ago, the procedure differs depending on the federal state. In Bavaria, for example, the certificate can be downloaded; in North Rhine-Westphalia, it is sent by post. Regardless of this, there is always the option of going to a pharmacy with an ID card and a yellow vaccination certificate, as well as if you have been vaccinated in a doctor’s office. Which pharmacy at the place of residence has the necessary technical requirements can be omitted www.mein-apothekenmanager.de Interrogate. The Covid certificate is free of charge for customers.
Where is the certificate valid?
It will be recognized in all EU countries from July 1st, as well as in Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. However, the EU is granting a transition period for the technical implementation until August 12th. It may therefore not yet be possible to scan the QR code at check-in or in the restaurant everywhere in the European Union. However, the information stored in German and English should be sufficient to prove the vaccination status. Or you pack the yellow vaccination certificate as a precaution. How far which country is with the introduction of the certificates can be found on the website reopen.europa.eu/de read up. It is also advisable to take a look at the entry regulations of the respective country, because sometimes the details are actually decisive. So Sweden accepts from 1.7. a certificate in the CovPass app, but not in the Corona warning app.
What are the benefits?
Traveling should become easier, that is the declared aim of the EU. However, the Covid certificate does not automatically remove all entry restrictions. “Member States should refrain from imposing additional travel restrictions on holders of EU digital Covid certificates, unless these are necessary and proportionate to protect public health,” the EU put it. And that can happen faster than a vacation is over: The recent classification of Portugal as a virus variant area As a result, everyone who returns to Germany from there has to be in quarantine for 14 days, even if they can prove that they are fully vaccinated. And there are still countries that require all travelers to take a test, for example Ireland or Malta. In most EU countries, however, vaccinated people can now enter without a previous smear test and without quarantine.
The states are also allowed to decide themselves to whom they give the label “Vaccinated”: In Austria, for example, you can do it 22 days after the first vaccination. In contrast to Germany, however, you still have to be vaccinated, tested or recovered to go to a restaurant – the EU states continue to make their own decisions about such restrictions. For example, in Italy, according to government sources, the vaccination certificate can be used to go to public events. Proof is also important for travel within the country, namely when you go to a region that is considered to be a corona zone with a higher risk of infection, or when you come back from there.
What about travel outside the EU?
So far, there is only clarity for Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, which participate in the Covid certificate. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, “talks are still ongoing” with other states – including Great Britain, which has not been a member of the EU since Brexit.
What if you haven’t been vaccinated yet?
Even then you should be able to travel in Europe – the European Union emphasizes this very explicitly: “The EU’s digital Covid certificate is intended to facilitate the free movement of people within the EU. However, it is not a prerequisite for freedom of movement. It is a fundamental right in the EU . ” In many countries, however, a negative corona test is a prerequisite. Holidaymakers can find detailed information about the respective provisions in the Travel information from the Federal Foreign Office.