The EU Digital COVID Certificate will only be valid for 9 months after following the primary 2-dose vaccination series (or 1-dose series for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine), for the purposes of intra-EU travel. Which was decided by the European Commission on 21 December 2021. The change will take effect from 1 February 2022.
Booster jabs are recommended to be taken at latest six month after people have been fully vaccinated.
Even though the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recommends booster doses at the latest six months after the completion of the first vaccination cycle, the Certificate will remain valid for an additional three months beyond those six months to ensure that national vaccination campaigns can adjust and citizens will have access to booster doses.
Updates pertaining to the EU Digital COVID certificate are:
- Focus on a ‘person-based approach': A person who has a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate should in principle not be subject to additional restrictions, such as tests or quarantine, regardless of their place of departure in the EU. Persons without an EU Digital COVID Certificate could be required to undergo a test carried out prior to or after arrival.
- Booster shots: As of yet, there are no studies expressly addressing the effectiveness of boosters on the transmission of COVID-19 and therefore it is not possible to determine an acceptance period for boosters. However, given the emerging data, it can be expected that protection from booster vaccinations may last longer than that resulting from the primary vaccination series. On the basis of new scientific evidence on this issue, the Commission may, if needed, propose an appropriate acceptance period also for vaccination certificates issued following a booster.
Source:
- ec.europa.eu - New proposals on the validity of EU Digital COVID Certificate and the coordination on safe travel in the EU
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