What to look out for when travelling
Many people are currently getting the message that their Covid vaccination certificate is about to expire. However, entry into many countries is still not possible without one. We explain what it’s all about and what travelers should do.
Corona expert council for new protective measures in autumn
In view of a possible new Covid 19 wave, the Corona Expert Council has spoken out in favor of a change of strategy. The Council explained that the previous approach of containment should be switched to an approach of protecting vulnerable groups. For the Minister of Health, this also includes wearing masks indoors.
DThe incidences are falling in many places, and more and more countries are dispensing with a vaccination certificate upon entry. But by no means all of them – especially when traveling long distances, nothing is often possible without proof. All the more confusing is the message that the CovPass app and the Corona warning app have recently played on the cell phone display of numerous citizens: “Your Covid vaccination certificate will expire soon”. What to do if such a trip is pending and proof of vaccination is required?
Update of CovPass app or Corona warning app
First of all: don’t panic. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI), publisher of the CovPass app, gives the all-clear. The message only concerns the technical validity of the digital vaccination certificate. It expires automatically after 365 days.
If this is the case, you will receive a notification in the CovPass app 28 days before expiration. On the key date, only the certificate will become invalid, but not the vaccination. The German Travel Agency Association DRV also points this out.
On the website digitaler-impfzettel-app.de, the RKI also writes that an app update is already available that enables the new issue. This allows you to extend the validity of the certificates yourself and without outside help. The new app version has the number 1.26 or 2.23 for the Covid warning app.
It is therefore worth checking before the next trip whether the app can be updated and then the certificates can be updated. If necessary, even earlier: According to the federal government, you have 90 days after the certificate expires to have it reissued in the app.
Check the vaccination procedure before you travel
But despite the all-clear from the RKI, it doesn’t hurt if people who have been vaccinated twice calculate before their next trip when their second vaccination took place and whether it was more than 270 days ago. For people who have been vaccinated twice, the validity of the vaccination for travel in Europe ends after 270 days. That was already decided by the member states in the Council last December.
This is actually about recognizing the duration of vaccination protection. Other deadlines may apply in non-European countries; the Federal Foreign Office provides information in its country information under “Entry”.
So if you are not boosted, you have to do two things in order not to lose your EU vaccination status: First, catch up on the booster vaccination after 270 days. And after 365 days, you can also extend the technical validity of the certificate with a few clicks in the app.
Alternatively, you can replace the digital one with the printed vaccination certificate or the good old yellow vaccination certificate and use it to identify yourself if analogue certificates are accepted. This is the case across Europe.
You’re better off with boosters
For people who have been vaccinated three times, the EU has so far recognized unlimited vaccination protection for travel – and with it all other approximately 40 countries that accept the EU certificate. Those who have been boosted do not have to be vaccinated again if the booster vaccination was more than 270 days ago.
However, they also have to keep an eye on the extension of the technical validity of the certificates after 365 days. This also means for you: update the app and then renew the certificates in the app. Or fall back on good old paper.
Updated on 6/13.
Further information:
The RKI on the technical validity of the CovPass app: digitaler-impfzettel-app.de/faq/
Information on the Corona-Warn-App: bundesregierung.de/breg-de/themen/corona-warn-app/corona-warn-app-faq-1758392
Information from the Federal Ministry of Health: gegencorona.de
Information from the EU on countries outside that accept the EU certificate: ec.europa.eu/info/index_de
In Portugal, the corona numbers are increasing again
Many people look forward to a pleasant holiday. But a trip to Portugal should perhaps be reconsidered. In the popular holiday destination, the corona numbers are increasing again due to the spread of the more contagious omicron subvariant BA.5.
Source: WELT/ Antje Diedrichs