A vaccine international certification scheme will go live in
Northern Ireland by – or before – 19 July, the Department of
Health has announced.
Work is focussed on delivering the scheme ahead of that date –
potentially as early as 5 July - and should be possible providing
cyber security checks are cleared successfully.
Ensuring this is delivered by 19 July at the latest will provide
alignment with neighbours in the Irish Republic.
Vaccine certification processes are currently being developed by
UK and EU authorities.
The Department’s Chief Digital Information Officer Dan West said:
“The aim is effectively to have a Covid-19 vaccine passport –
internationally recognised proof a person has had both vaccine
doses.
“This will complement the UK’s existing traffic light system for
international travel, which can include PCR tests and quarantine
rules, depending on the travel location.
“While final decisions have still to be taken on how and when
these vaccine certificates will be used, they are expected to
make foreign travel easier for people who have had both doses.
“Governments and businesses may also decide to use them in other
circumstances, such as access to events and activities. Such
decisions have still to be made here in Northern Ireland and
elsewhere.”
Mr West added: “A lot of hard work is ongoing to deliver Northern
Ireland’s scheme. Unlike other jurisdictions, we have not had the
advantage of a pre-existing health service app. We are therefore
building our system from scratch.
“We also want to make sure that rigorous cyber security checks
are completed to protect against hackers, reflecting how
seriously we take the protection of personal data.”
Northern Ireland’s vaccine certificates will in the first
instance be in specialised hard copy format. These will feature
security and counterfeit protection features and a specialised
printing process will be required. A digital alternative to the
hardcopy format will be available by mid-August. This will also
support evidencing of negative PCR Covid tests, as an alternative
to proof of vaccination. The process of applying for and
receiving hard copy certification is expected to take 10 days.
GPs, vaccination centres, the Department of Health and other
parts of the health service cannot produce proof of vaccine to
the required standard for travel purposes. So please don’t
contact them asking for such paperwork.
