IATA wants EU Covid Certificate validity extended
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) wants the European Commission to extend validity of the EU Digital Covid Certificate (DCC) to a full year.
The Commission has recommended up to nine months’ validity but IATA says this isn’t long enough due to member states’ haphazard timeline for booster shots.
"The nine months proposed by the Commission could be insufficient. It would be better to delay this requirement until all states are offering booster jabs to all citizens, and for a twelve-month validity to give more time for people to access a booster dose,," said Rafael Schvartzman, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Europe.
"It is vital that states harmonise their approach to the length of time allowed between the point of full vaccination and administering the additional dose."
"The proposal to manage limitations on the validity of the DCC creates many potential problems. People who received the vaccine before March, including many health workers, will need to have accessed a booster by 11 January or may be unable to travel."
IATA also called out the gaps in vaccine recognition.
It raised concern over the Commission’s recommendation that travellers vaccinated with a non-EU approved vaccine should present a negative pre-departure PCR test.
"This will discourage travel from many parts of the world where infection rates are low, but the population have been vaccinated by WHO-approved vaccines which have yet to gain regulatory approval in the EU."
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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