In Europe, the number of cases of infection has been declining in recent weeks. Most countries have given up on strict measures and taken back to normal.
Although the corona pandemic appears to be under control, several countries still practice the system of requiring a valid corona passport upon entry.
– For the time being, it seems that the use of a corona certificate is modest when traveling between countries in Europe, but it is of course wise to check which rules apply to the country you are traveling to, says assistant health director Espen Rostrup Nakstad in the Norwegian Directorate of Health.
– DIFFERENT PRACTICES: Espen Rostrup Nakstad reminds that countries practice the rules for corona certificates differently. Photo: Morten Kristoffersen / TV 2
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Believes the scheme should be terminated
The coronary certificate is a documentation that shows whether you have been vaccinated with a coronary vaccine, whether you have recently undergone coronary heart disease and whether you have a recent negative coronary test.
In February, the European Commission proposed extending the legal basis for the EU’s digital corona certificate by one year, until 30 June 2023.
The extension of the regulations and the continuation of the technical solution is a prerequisite for travelers to continue to be able to use their corona certificate when traveling.
– That the EU has signaled that they will maintain the certificate scheme until 2024, does not mean the same as that the certificate is in use throughout the period, Nakstad says.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), for its part, believes it is time to abolish the scheme.
– The European Commission has asked the countries to stop using corona passports as soon as the situation allows. We believe it should happen as soon as possible, says chief physician Preben Aavitsland.
– NO POINTS: Chief physician Preben Aavitsland at the National Institute of Public Health no longer sees the point of the scheme. Photo: Tor Erik Schrøder / NTB
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He explains why:
– We do not quite see the point of the corona passport for travel in Europe now, especially because vaccinated people are also infected and can spread the disease, he continues.
The experience with omicron has been that the virus variant is highly contagious. Vaccinated people are also infected to a large extent, but more rarely develop serious illness.
May be different rules
All EU and EEA countries are obliged to accept a corona certificate as documentation of a disease, vaccination or negative test.
– REQUIRED: Spain is among the countries that still require a valid corona certificate upon entry. Here from San Sebastian, in the north of Spain. Photo: Albert Gea / Reuters
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However, it is important to be aware that each country in the EU decides its own rules, and that what is required of documentation will vary.
One way to get an overview of the rules that apply in the country you are traveling to is, for example, by reading up Re-open EU.
– Right now there are few places where the scheme is used actively, and then almost only at large events, Nakstad says.
In Norway, the government has submitted a proposal to the Storting to extend the scheme with a corona certificate until 30 June 2023.
– We must be prepared for the infection situation to change and that it may be necessary to reintroduce infection control measures, said Minister of Health and Care Services Ingvild Kjerkol (Labor Party) in a press release in April.
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