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EU Commission

Irish people will begin receiving Digital Covid Certs from today - here's how the rollout will work

Fully vaccinated people will receive their certs automatically.

IRELAND IS OFFIALLY signing up to the EU’s Digital Covid Cert (DCC) from this day next week. 

Ahead of that date (19 July), the certs are to be sent out to those in Ireland who are fully vaccinated beginning today. 

The certs have been designed as way to facilitate Covid-safe travel throughout the EU this summer and will allow holders to bypass pandemic entry restrictions. 

They may ultimately play a role in facilitating entrance to hospitality in Ireland too, but that is still to be finalised. 

First things first, what is the DCC?

We’ve written a more detailed explainer about what they are but, as a quick refresher, the DCC provides proof that someone has either: 

  • Been vaccinated with one of the EU’s approved jabs (Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson)
  • Recovered from a Covid-19 infection in the past six months
  • Or has received a recent negative PCR test. 

The DCC system has been up and running in EU member states since the beginning of this month but Ireland delayed its implementation due to issues caused by the HSE cyber attack. 

The DCC is will come in the form of a QR code available on smartphones or on paper. 

They will be issued by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer based on information provided by the HSE.

Who will be getting their certs today and how will they get them?  

People who are fully vaccinated should get their cert without requesting one, with the process of sending out certs set to begin today. 

The government has said it is set to issue some 1.9 million certs today

People will either receive their certs via email or in the post with Revenue assisting in sending them via post. 

Those who were vaccinated through the HSE’s online registration portal will receive their cert via the email they used as part of that process.  

People who were vaccinated through a GP or pharmacy are more likely to receive their cert in the post. 

The government has said the cyber attack has impacted how GPs informed the HSE about the vaccinations they administered but that much of this transfer of information has now taken place. 

What if I’m due a cert and I don’t get one? 

A Digital Covid Cert call centre is to be set up to deal with a range of queries and people who don’t get their cert will be asked to contact the call centre. 

There is as yet no date for when this call centre is to be established with a website also to go live that will also provide information about the DCC. 

What if I’m eligible for DCC due to recovery from Covid in the last six months?

If this is the case you will also have to phone up the call centre to be issued with one, you will not get it automatically. 

If you tested positive for Covid-19 through the HSE’s free PCR testing service your records should be available, with the HSE saying it has records of 170,000 people who have recovered from Covid in that period. 

There may be some people who received a positive test through a private operator and not the HSE, but this is believed to be a small number. 

Asked about this question this week, Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne said this will be worked out but that “practically everybody” who’s had a positive result had a test through the HSE.

“Even with some of the private operators, particularly earlier on in the pandemic, people were then referred to the HSE system at that point. But look, if there’s any issues they will be resolved,” he said. 

How do I get a DCC with a negative test?

People can also get a DCC if they have received a recent negative Covid test but people who require a negative test, for this reason, will not be able to use the HSE’s free testing service to do so.

Instead, people will be required to go through a private provider with a government spokesperson saying this is about “not mixing the public health system for something that’s there for people to travel.”

A cert based on an antigen test will not be accepted for entry to Ireland but is acceptable in a number of other countries if it is taken within the past 48 hours. 

All countries accept PCR tests, with that test required to have been taken in the past 72 hours. 

Do I need to have a DCC to travel to EU member states?

No, the DCC has been designed to standardise requirements and make travel checks faster but it is not a requirement in itself. 

“If you want to go to Spain, or you want to go to France, you don’t have to have a Digital Covid Cert, it makes it faster and easier going through the airport. But if you don’t have it, you can still travel on your existing documentation,” Minister of State Ossian Smyth said last week. 

If you’re travelling within the EU you can check what restrictions are in your destination country here, while details of non-EU country restrictions can be found here.

 

 

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19 Comments
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    Mute Martin Sinnott
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    Dec 27th 2018, 7:57 AM

    Another Quango with all the usual faces after consultancy companies are paid millions.

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    Mute Chin Feeyin
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    Dec 27th 2018, 9:43 AM

    @Martin Sinnott: you can see the future? Cool. Give us the winning Lotto numbers!

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    Mute Sarah
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    Dec 27th 2018, 11:03 AM

    @Chin Feeyin: He’s just making an educated guess I’d wager. Almost certainly right about it too….

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    Mute Trevor Hayden
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    Dec 27th 2018, 8:02 AM

    How convenient for FF and FG, hand picked by themselves no doubt, similar to the counting stations.

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    Mute Fear Uisce
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    Dec 27th 2018, 7:55 AM

    another quango, another job for Leo’s boys

    136
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    Mute Chin Feeyin
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    Dec 27th 2018, 10:11 AM

    @Fear Uisce: well, it’s a public consultation, so get out your crayons and start writing.

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    Mute prop joe
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    Dec 27th 2018, 8:49 AM

    This has corruption written all over it. Make the system over bureaucratic to squeeze out smaller parties and censor political opponents.

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    Mute Willy Mc Caul
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    Dec 27th 2018, 9:44 AM

    FFG want total control..

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    Mute Adrian
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    Dec 27th 2018, 9:53 AM

    We know from experience that anything “independent” thats set up by our govs is really not independent at all.

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    Mute Gerard Heery
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    Dec 27th 2018, 9:28 AM

    Dictatorship on the cards by the looks of it ,never needed any one to overlook the elections since Bertie’s s voting machines and look at the mess and cost entailed

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Dec 27th 2018, 6:15 PM

    @Gerard Heery: F.G. is learning using the film, The rise and rise of Michael Rimmer, as a guide?

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    Mute Dominic Leleu
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    Dec 27th 2018, 10:11 AM

    What a joke.

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    Mute Ianmoone
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    Dec 27th 2018, 10:41 AM

    More money down the drain for the EU and our globalist politicians to decide if our answer fits with theirs.

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    Mute paul kelly
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    Dec 27th 2018, 9:08 AM

    Along with using pps numbers this will stop the “home to vote” group.

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    Mute John Flood
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    Dec 27th 2018, 8:42 AM

    Perhaps some good could come from this like “vote by mail”, early voting, and voting on weekends.

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    Mute tommytukamomo
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    Dec 27th 2018, 9:06 AM

    @John Flood: it’s Ireland so I doubt it.

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    Mute Niall
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    Dec 27th 2018, 10:41 AM

    some comments on here really crack me up!! Hilarious!!

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    Mute Fergus Robson
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    Dec 27th 2018, 10:52 AM

    @Niall: literally all the swivel-eyes have come out for this one. Remarkable really the extent of uncomprehending hostility they exhibit while remaining almost totally clueless about the political and electoral process and why this is a positive change.

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    Mute Chin Feeyin
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    Dec 27th 2018, 12:41 PM

    @Fergus Robson: and most of them too young to vote!

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    Mute Frank McGlynn
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    Dec 27th 2018, 2:40 PM

    The role of the State in our democracy should be absolutely neutral as regards policies and parties. Funding for political parties favours the insiders i.e. the existing parties and puts new emerging parties at a disadvantage.

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    Mute marydebbie
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    Dec 27th 2018, 1:27 PM

    Like the ‘true results’ of the abortion referendum!!!!! Shower of liars :(

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Dec 27th 2018, 6:14 PM

    Why???

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