EU’s Digital Green Pass
At the ongoing summit in Brussels, EU leaders are expected to approve plans for the digital green pass, which will then become operational from July 1. However, member states will have six weeks to implement the plan. In Ireland’s case, it is likely the new plan will commence mid-July.
The digital green pass will prove that the holder has either been vaccinated, has tested negative for COVID-19, or has recovered from the virus in the past six months. The card will allow travelers bearing the pass to enter the country without the need for quarantine.
According to sources, the high usage of private tests in Ireland is causing challenges with the new system. However, these challenges are being worked on. Besides this, there is also considerable caution on the part of public health experts about an early reopening of the country.
Ireland’s health minister is quoted as saying last week that the government may introduce the new digital green pass earlier than mid-July. This is due to mounting pressure from airlines and employers to restart international travel.
How will this work?
Even with the implementation of the digital green pass, the Irish government will retain the authority to control conditions for entry. It will also monitor the containment of the virus and the rate of vaccination before the scheme is launched.
By next month, the European Commission will have a system in place to allow member states to verify each other’s documents. However, individual EU countries will need to prepare their own structures to issue the certificates – free of charge – to their residents.
Once the European Commission has a system in place for EU-wide verification, member states will start connecting to it. However, at this stage the commission hasn’t advised at what exact point after that that certificates will be issued.
Ireland is currently imposing the strictest travel restrictions in the 27-nation EU bloc. The country is advising its citizens against non-essential travel and is imposing fines on those heading to airports to go on vacation. Currently, arriving visitors must stay in mandatory hotel quarantine for two weeks.
How secure is the digital green pass?
The digital green pass will feature a public key holding no personal data. The pass will merely confirm that the holder has been vaccinated, is immune or has tested negative. The member states will hold the passes on national directories, to be exchanged via the commission’s system, in order that each state can verify each other’s certificates.
US travelers can check the latest status for travel to Ireland on the US Embassy in Ireland’s official website.
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