The digital proof of vaccination is getting closer, the technical prerequisites have already been partly created or will be completed in the coming days: For example, pharmacies in Germany are to start issuing digital proof of vaccination next Monday.
These are cryptographically signed certificates in the form of QR codes that confirm a complete vaccination against Covid-19.
Vaccinated persons can receive the certificate in paper form on request, but they can also save it on their smartphone.
With the current version 2.3.2, this can be done by the official Corona warning app.
An update of the app was published on Wednesday night.
However, it can take a few hours for the new version to be visible to all users in the Google and Apple app stores.
In addition to the Corona warning app, people should also be able to use the »CovPass« smartphone app, which, unlike the warning app, does not offer a contact tracking function.
»CovPass« will also be free and voluntary, but the app is not yet available in the app stores.
In the future, it will also document negative test results and survived infections and thus make traveling within the EU easier.
By no means all pharmacies will participate from Monday
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) explains details about the certificate and »CovPass« on a specially set up website.
It is not yet clear when vaccination centers and doctors will also issue the certificates and how those who have already been vaccinated will then receive one.
Which pharmacies can issue the certificates can be seen from Monday on the mein-apothekenmanager.de website.
According to Thomas Dittrich, chairman of the German Pharmacists' Association (DAV), the number will "probably still be limited" in the first few days: "But we are assuming that the number of pharmacies will very quickly reach the four-digit range." The association has not yet stated that they have to bring vaccinated people with them in order to receive the digital proof in a pharmacy.
On the RKI website it says: »Various options are being examined to create digital vaccination certificates for corona vaccinations afterwards.
Basically, the retrospective exhibition should take place where you have been vaccinated.
If relevant contact details are available in the vaccination centers, the QR codes should be sent by post as automatically as possible.
In addition, doctors and pharmacists could subsequently issue vaccination certificates. "
EU system is scheduled to start on July 1st
The EU Parliament on Wednesday gave the green light for a vaccination certificate valid throughout Europe, which should make traveling easier in summer.
Now the member states have to finally agree to the compromise negotiated with Parliament.
This should be done by the end of the week.
The electronic platform for checking vaccination certificates is due to go live across Europe on July 1st.
In addition to information about vaccinations, the digital document should also contain information about tests or survived corona infections.
In Germany, field tests with the digital EU certificate have been running in some vaccination centers since the end of May.
It is tested whether citizens can scan the proof with an app after a vaccination.
This can then be checked when traveling.
According to the Commission, the EU vaccination certificate is already being awarded in eight other Member States.
The member states are currently creating solutions for the certificate at national level, which are then interconnected via the EU platform.
For holders of the certificate, the member states should refrain from quarantine and test obligations, provided the epidemiological situation allows this.
pbe / AFP / dpa
