Covid-19: Vaccine certificate availability extended

NORTHERN Ireland vaccine certificates are now available for those travelling abroad up to and including August 17, the Department of Health has announced.

The certificates provide Northern Ireland citizens with official confirmation that they have received both their Covid-19 vaccinations in the North.

They are available in digital format – via an app for your phone or a pdf file for printing.

If you cannot apply online, you can request a paper version by phone – this process will take longer than the digital process and it may take up to 10 working days for the printed paper version to arrive.

For information on how to apply go to: www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/coronavirus-covid-19-covid-certificate-ni-residents

Since the Northern Ireland Vaccine Certification Service was re-launched on Saturday night, 8,452 certificate applications have been received and 7,622 certificates issued.

Work is ongoing to further enhance the resilience of the system, with a view to opening it up for all applications.

Until then, applications should only be for the specified dates.

“Do not apply now for travel after August 17. We will continue to prioritise those with the most immediate requirement,” a Department of Health spokesperson stressed.

Reasons for refusals of applications have included:

• Fraudulent attempts to obtain a certificate (three individuals submitted 38 applications between them with false vaccination dates).
• People attempting to apply for a certificate less than 14 days following a second dose.
• People entering a fraudulent date of second dose attempting to circumvent the 14-day rule.
• People attempting to request a certificate having only had one dose of vaccine.