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CovPass: Some users report difficulties
Photo: Stefan Puchner / dpa
The vaccination certificate has arrived in the digital age.
With CovPass, the federal government and the Robert Koch Institute have published an app that can be shown at airports and border crossings in the EU as an alternative to the yellow paper rag.
It was developed by IBM Germany, Ubirch, Govdigital and Bechtle.
With the app, citizens can prove that they have been vaccinated against Sars-CoV-2.
More than 32 million digital corona vaccination records have now been created.
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But not everything is going smoothly.
At the start there are technical problems, the distribution of the codes is confusing.
While pharmacists are busy converting vaccination records into QR codes, employees in general practitioners' practices and vaccination centers print out the QR code as soon as the vaccination is given.
Those who have been vaccinated for a long time still have to be patient.
The confirmations are to be sent by post these days.
But there are also some pitfalls when scanning the QR code with the CovPass app.
We explain what to look out for with the vaccination certificate, which mishaps users report and what the iPhone lock code has to do with the digital vaccination certificate.
For which smartphones is the app available?
CovPass is available in the Apple App Store for iPhones with at least iOS 12. The application can also be downloaded for Android devices from version 6.
Huawei smartphone users can download the app from the App Gallery.
CovPass is free in all app stores.
Is CovPass the only vaccination pass app?
No.
The Corona warning app and the Luca app can also read vaccination certificates.
In contrast to the other two applications, however, the CovPass app cannot be used for check-in, for example for events.
So far, CovPass is the only application that can list several certificates per smartphone, for example from recovered or vaccinated partners and children.
How do I recognize a valid QR code?
The Robert Koch Institute points out that valid QR code printouts must come from official bodies such as vaccination centers, medical practices and pharmacies.
The title above the forms must be “EU Digital Covid Vaccination Certificate” or “EU Covid-19 Vaccination Certificate” so that the CovPass app can read the QR code.
If the code is invalid, an error message will appear.
For example, if you scan the appointment confirmation for a Covid vaccination, you will see the following message:
»The QR code was not recognized.
The QR code does not belong to a digital COVID certificate from the EU.
You can recognize the correct certificate in Germany by the fact that the exhibitor is the Robert Koch Institute. «
»The QR code was not recognized. The QR code does not belong to a digital COVID certificate from the EU. You can recognize the correct certificate in
Germany
by the fact that the issuer is the Robert Koch Institute.
QR codes from, for example, vaccination certificates or QR codes on some batch stickers from the yellow vaccination book cannot be added. "
Other information can also appear if the QR code is invalid.
According to »t3n«, this message also appears with incorrect codes: »This QR code is not a valid vaccination certificate (VC_PREFIX_INVALID)«.
The certificate is correct.
Why does the iPhone app show an error anyway?
If you scan a vaccination code with your iPhone, you have to be careful because there is a special feature for Apple smartphones: the phone must be protected with a lock code in order to read the QR code.
That sounds strange, but according to the Ministry of Health, it is for "safety reasons".
In fact, the QR code scan only works if a PIN or password is stored on the phone as a screen lock.
(To unlock the device, Face ID face recognition and, on older iPhones, the fingerprint sensor can be used.) If you have to set up the lock code first, you should restart your iPhone before the scan.
Should I keep the slip of paper with the QR code after it has been scanned?
In any case. The certificate is saved on the phone after it has been scanned, but it is not secure. Users in the Google Play Store report, for example, that everything initially worked when scanning the code with the CovPass app. But a few days later the app crashed, probably after an update, and could no longer be started. The users were forced to delete the app and reinstall it. However, this also meant that the certificates were deleted - and had to be photographed again from the paper certificate.
The Federal Ministry of Health cannot understand this error message.
"The fact that certificates disappear after the latest update has not yet been reported as a problem," said a spokeswoman in response to a request from SPIEGEL.
Instead, it could be because the vaccination certificate no longer appears on the start page when the app is started.
You have to tap on the gray background tick labeled »Certificates« in order to make codes that have already been scanned visible again.
How long is the scanned vaccination certificate valid?
It doesn't matter whether you have been vaccinated or recovered: All digital corona certificates in the CovPass app are generally valid for one year.
One of the reasons for this is that the authorities do not yet know how long the vaccinations protect and how virus variants affect effectiveness.
Does the app also accept a single vaccination with Johnson & Johnson?
With the US vaccine Johnson & Johnson, one vaccine dose is sufficient.
The CovPass app takes this into account and gives smartphone users the green light for vaccination checks two weeks after vaccination.
Will the app also benefit me when I have recovered?
Yes.
The CovPass app now also accepts positive results from a PCR test that is issued in a doctor's office, test center or laboratory.
The Robert Koch Institute submitted this function with an update.
The billing software of the health insurance companies should be able to do this by Monday (July 12) at the latest.
However, the person must no longer be contagious, so the test must be at least 28 days ago.
In addition, the PCR test must not be more than six months old.
If the illness with Covid-19 was a long time ago, the person must be vaccinated at least once, otherwise they would be "not fully vaccinated and not recovered," says the ministry spokeswoman.
"So someone can only be vaccinated once and be considered fully vaccinated who has gone through the disease without having received a proof of recovery."
Do I also need an ID for an app control?
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Yes.
Because the certificates are not forgery-proof.
In theory, any number of people can scan a QR code from the pharmacy.
Therefore, the certificate is always displayed on the smartphone together with the name of the vaccinated person.
In the event of a check - if it takes place - the comparison with the identity card ensures security.
Can the waiting time after the second vaccination be shortened?
According to some users on Twitter, they have managed to shorten the two weeks after the second dose to complete vaccination protection.
To do this, they turned the date in the system settings of the smartphone - and thus outwitted the app.
However, this does not work during a check, announced the Ministry of Health.
When scanning with the "CovPass Check" app, the correct date is always displayed.
Can I also use the app in another language?
The app is currently only available in German.
In the settings there is the option of selecting English as the preferred language, but even then the app remains in German.
Only with the personal data is "Name, first name" and "Date of Birth", but there are no more translations so far.
However, an English version will follow.
The app's FAQ says: "We are currently working on this solution."
It is not yet known whether there are plans to publish the app in other language versions.
The Corona warning app is now available in several additional languages such as Russian, Arabic or Turkish.
