Now that thoughts of summer holidays have returned, I found this UK Government page regarding the NHS Covid Vaccination App, and thought it would be useful for all those planning their summer adventures.
Demonstrating your COVID-19 vaccination status when travelling abroad
How to demonstrate your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination status to show that you’ve had the full course of the COVID-19 vaccine and access this status when travelling abroad.
Demonstrating your COVID-19 vaccination status
Demonstrating your COVID-19 vaccination status allows you to show others that you’ve had a full course of the COVID-19 vaccine when travelling abroad to some countries or territories. A full course is currently 2 doses of any approved vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccination status is available to people who live in England.
You can get your vaccination status in digital or paper format.
The service will go live from Monday 17 May.
What you can use it for
From 17 May, you may be able to show your COVID-19 vaccination status as proof of your status when travelling abroad.
There are not many countries that currently accept proof of vaccination. So for the time being most people will still need to follow other rules when travelling abroad – like getting a negative pre-departure test.
You should:
- check the entry requirements for your destination country on the GOV.UK foreign travel advice pages
- get up-to-date information from the website of your destination country
You may still be required to show other proof like a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, and you may still have to isolate on arrival.
The government is working with the devolved administrations to ensure this facility is available to everyone across the UK, and continues to work to ensure that every UK citizen is kept safe.
If you’ve not been fully vaccinated
People should continue to follow the entry requirements of the country they are travelling to, such as proof of a negative COVID-19 test on arrival. You should carefully research the requirements of your destination country before travelling.
Further details on entry requirements can be found on the GOV.UK foreign travel advice pages and on the websites of your destination country.
See travel advice for British people travelling abroad during the pandemic
How to access your COVID-19 vaccination status
You can access your COVID-19 vaccination status through the free NHS App from 17 May. You can access the app through mobile devices such as a smartphone or by tablet. Proof of your COVID-19 vaccination status will be shown within the NHS App. We recommend that you register with the app before booking international travel.
If you do not have access to a smartphone and know that the country you are travelling to requires COVID-19 vaccination status, you can call the NHS helpline on 119 (from 17 May) and ask for a letter to be posted to you. This must be at least 5 days after you’ve completed your course of the vaccine. We expect the letter to take up to 5 days to reach you.
Do not contact your GP surgery about your COVID-19 vaccination status. GPs cannot provide letters showing your COVID-19 vaccination status.
Using the NHS App
To use the NHS App, you must be:
- registered with a GP in England
- aged 13 or over
If you’re aged 13 to 15, you’ll need to contact your GP surgery to request access to GP online services before you can use the app.
Find out more about the NHS App
We recommend that you register with the NHS App:
- before booking your international travel
- at least 2 weeks before your departure date and once you’ve had a full course of vaccinations, which is currently 2 doses of an approved vaccine
Protecting Your Data
Your COVID-19 vaccination status is held securely within the NHS App, and can only be accessed via the NHS login service.
The app only shows your COVID-19 vaccination status in the form of your vaccination record.
In the future, the app will also show your COVID-19 test results.
NHS App privacy policy
Children
Children cannot get COVID-19 vaccination status, as children are not currently being vaccinated against COVID-19.
If you’re travelling abroad, you and any children you’re travelling with may need to show proof of a COVID-19 test, with or without a completed vaccination course.
See the GOV.UK foreign travel advice pages for guidance on the entry requirements of your intended destination country.
The document can be viewed on line with all the links at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/demonstrating-your-covid-19-vaccination-status-when-travelling-abroad
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
