EU vaccination certificate: Still valid for nine months without a booster

The EU vaccination certificates are only valid for nine months without a booster vaccination. After this period, people without boosters will be treated as unvaccinated when crossing borders.

The booster vaccinations are not only running slower than expected in Germany – this is also the case in other parts of Europe. The EU Commission wants to ensure that European citizens can still travel as safely as possible in the future. Therefore, the vaccination certificate is only valid without a booster vaccination if the last vaccination was not more than nine months ago.

Counteract a weakening protective effect

At that point at the latest, you have to boost – otherwise travelers will be treated exactly the same when crossing the border as unvaccinated people. “The aim of this regulation is that we have a tool that can be used by all member states,” says EU Commission spokesman Eric Mamer.

The EU wants to react to the protective effect of the vaccines, which is weakening from month to month. The further back the vaccination with the basic immunization is, the lower the protection against infection. At the same time, the risk of serious illness also increases.

Initially unlimited validity with Booster

“Personally, I can only advise everyone to have boosters after six months at the latest. And even after three months it makes sense,” says CDU MEP and doctor Peter Liese. From his point of view, the fact that the EU does not limit the validity of the vaccination certificate to six months or even three months, but leaves it in force for nine months, is a compromise.

In many parts of Europe it is not so easy to get an appointment for the booster vaccination quickly, even for people who want it, says Liese. “That’s why they chose a pragmatic approach and said: People need time to actually get the booster.”

For those who have already had a booster vaccination, the proof is initially valid indefinitely. Studies are still awaited to show how long such a booster vaccination protects.

Test requirements upon entry are to be eliminated

The new rule is also intended to make traveling easier in one respect: Anyone who used to go on vacation had to understand the Corona rules in the holiday country. And they could and can be very different from country to country. Additional requirements such as PCR tests or antigen tests upon entry are now to be eliminated – at least in theory.

Some countries such as Austria are currently still requiring tests from travelers – and MEP Liese does not want to rule out the possibility that other countries may deviate from the rule again in the future. And justify it like this: “We test people from an area where a relatively large number of people are unvaccinated and where there is a high infection rate.” That will not be avoidable if it becomes dangerous again, said Liese.

National regulations still possible

The vaccination card also provides a deadline for people who have already had a corona infection. After recovery, your ID should be valid for six months in the EU. In Germany, the duration has just been reduced to three months.

Going it alone at national level is therefore not out of the question in the future either. This also applies to the regulations within the member countries: It is up to the national governments whether a country requires a test for a visit to a restaurant or at major events.