The corona situation is easing and most of the corona rules have already been lifted in many travel countries. This often also applies to entry. For example, Greece now requires neither a vaccination certificate nor a proof of recovery or a test from holidaymakers.
On the other hand, anyone traveling to Italy no longer has to register since May 1, but still needs a full vaccination or proof of recovery or a negative test result to enter the country.
Basic immunization expires after 270 days
Holidaymakers who are planning their trip to countries where proof of vaccination is required are concerned. Because many who have deposited their vaccination certificates on the Corona-Warn-App or on the CoV-Pass-App are currently receiving notifications that this is about to expire.
So this affects people who are boosted and whose certificates should therefore be valid indefinitely. Only certificates that only prove a basic immunization consisting of two vaccinations are actually limited in time and lose their validity after 270 days. They only become valid again after a third vaccination.
Read about it: Vaccination certificates of millions of Germans are expiring – 2 things you need to know
Vaccination protection for boosted recipients remains valid
But if you have three vaccinations, you don’t need to worry. As the Federal Ministry of Health explains, this notification of expiry has a simple background: “For technical reasons, the digital vaccination certificate has an expiration date,” it says. The first certificates will therefore expire at the end of the second quarter, i.e. in June 2022.
The expiry date depends on the date of issue of the certificate. However, the ministry emphasizes that this does not invalidate the vaccination protection. Until then, however, there will be a uniform European solution that will continue to allow the use of the digital vaccination certificate, according to the ministry.
Users will soon be able to update vaccination certificates themselves
There should be an update of the apps with which users can update their vaccination certificates themselves. You will soon be able to carry out the necessary re-issuance in the app with just a few clicks,” explains the Federal Ministry of Health when asked by FOCUS Online. “An update with the reissue function will be available in the app stores before your certificates expire,” it said.
However, this app update is not yet available. As the Bavarian Association of Pharmacists reports in a letter available to FOCUS Online, the RKI and the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) are still working on the necessary update.
Pharmacies can update in advance
However, if you do not want to wait until this is available and need the update for a trip, you can also contact a pharmacy and have a new certificate issued there.
Within the European Union and in many countries outside the EU such as Turkey, Israel and Thailand, the digital vaccination certificates are recognized as proof of immunization. Holidaymakers should definitely clarify which rules apply to entering their holiday country before they leave. Information on this can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office www.auswaertiges-amt.de.