Using Vaccination Certificates

Old Apr 24, 2021, 11:28 am
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Using Vaccination Certificates

I am now in the fortune position of having had my two doses of Covid vaccines and an A4 paper to verify that fact from a vaccination center in Paris.

I realize there are very few countries that already accept vaccination certificates (Iceland, others?) but more will surely start to. Has anyone actual experience of using them, or know of plans to issue more official documents by the French government ?

Last edited by Braniff; Apr 24, 2021 at 11:33 am
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Old Apr 24, 2021, 11:39 am
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Greece and Slovenia.
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Old Apr 25, 2021, 12:31 am
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If you are looking for ideas about where to go now that you are vaccinated, have a look there: https://www.tourdumondiste.com/coron...eut-on-voyager

The list is updated daily, and smaller countries are rushing to accept all those safe tourists.

As for the paperwork, the official stance is that the TousAntiCovid app will serve as vaccination proof any time now. Whether this perfect solution will be recognized abroad is another question.
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Old Apr 25, 2021, 3:14 am
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Originally Posted by Braniff
I am now in the fortune position of having had my two doses of Covid vaccines and an A4 paper to verify that fact from a vaccination center in Paris.

I realize there are very few countries that already accept vaccination certificates (Iceland, others?) but more will surely start to. Has anyone actual experience of using them, or know of plans to issue more official documents by the French government ?
I have the same "problem" as you as I am travelling soon to a country that does not require anymore a PCR test for vaccinated people. I have been vaccinated in Paris and I just have 2 very bad looking papers (one per injection). The template they used was on letterhead paper of the hospital, xeroxed a million times, with blanks to fill (name/birth date of patients, name and batch number of the vaccine, date, name of the doctor supervising the vaccination). Sincerely I don't know how an official at a border can react to this
I know it is possible to obtain something looking better from the Social Security where all vaccinations are recorded instantly by the vaccination centers, but of course to make our life more complicated, it is not possible to download this from your Ameli account. You need to ask the vaccination center (or possibly a doctor ??) connected to the specific system to have it.
As said by Maaloc, it will be possible very soon to have an official QR code in the TousAntiCovid app with your vaccination status. It has been announced that it will start on 29/04. But, at the beginning, it will work only for storing PCR test results for domestic trips (to Corsica) and to DOM-TOM. But they have said that it should be accepted in all EU sometime in May, and hopefully elsewhere in June. What I understood is that vaccinated people will receive a sms from social security and you will need to go to the website sidep.gouv.fr to download your certificate in TousAntiCovid app.
https://solidarites-sante.gouv.fr/ac...-securiser-les
For my coming trip, I will not take any risk and I will have a PCR test. But I will try first to present my "bad looking" vaccination certificates to the officials to see how they react and, if problem, I will show my PCR test. I will of course report here .
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Old Apr 25, 2021, 4:18 am
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Originally Posted by Goldorak
I have the same "problem" as you as I am travelling soon to a country that does not require anymore a PCR test for vaccinated people. I have been vaccinated in Paris and I just have 2 very bad looking papers (one per injection). The template they used was on letterhead paper of the hospital, xeroxed a million times, with blanks to fill (name/birth date of patients, name and batch number of the vaccine, date, name of the doctor supervising the vaccination). Sincerely I don't know how an official at a border can react to this
I know it is possible to obtain something looking better from the Social Security where all vaccinations are recorded instantly by the vaccination centers, but of course to make our life more complicated, it is not possible to download this from your Ameli account. You need to ask the vaccination center (or possibly a doctor ??) connected to the specific system to have it.
As said by Maaloc, it will be possible very soon to have an official QR code in the TousAntiCovid app with your vaccination status. It has been announced that it will start on 29/04. But, at the beginning, it will work only for storing PCR test results for domestic trips (to Corsica) and to DOM-TOM. But they have said that it should be accepted in all EU sometime in May, and hopefully elsewhere in June. What I understood is that vaccinated people will receive a sms from social security and you will need to go to the website sidep.gouv.fr to download your certificate in TousAntiCovid app.
https://solidarites-sante.gouv.fr/ac...-securiser-les
For my coming trip, I will not take any risk and I will have a PCR test. But I will try first to present my "bad looking" vaccination certificates to the officials to see how they react and, if problem, I will show my PCR test. I will of course report here .
From that website, tests results are available online since 19 April. Is that fully operational?
Does it only applies to tests done since 19 April?

Assuming that French vaccinations details are available online, it will be of limited use for international travel until EU countries (not to mention non-EU countries) are linked to that system one way or the other.
I am not an IT specialist, but that seems a major endeavour for EU bureaucracies.

And it is strange that they adopted the Datamatrix code rather than the QR code which is more widely used with larger storage capability.
At least, let's hope that it can generate an "official" printable version in English.
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Old Apr 25, 2021, 5:38 am
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Well, what is needed in France is an International Certificate of Vaccination, aka Yellow Card, like used in Germany and commnly approved by the WHO (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intern...or_Prophylaxis).
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Old Apr 25, 2021, 5:40 am
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Originally Posted by Goldorak
I have the same "problem" as you as I am travelling soon to a country that does not require anymore a PCR test for vaccinated people. I have been vaccinated in Paris and I just have 2 very bad looking papers (one per injection). The template they used was on letterhead paper of the hospital, xeroxed a million times, with blanks to fill (name/birth date of patients, name and batch number of the vaccine, date, name of the doctor supervising the vaccination). Sincerely I don't know how an official at a border can react to this
I know it is possible to obtain something looking better from the Social Security where all vaccinations are recorded instantly by the vaccination centers, but of course to make our life more complicated, it is not possible to download this from your Ameli account. You need to ask the vaccination center (or possibly a doctor ??) connected to the specific system to have it.
As said by Maaloc, it will be possible very soon to have an official QR code in the TousAntiCovid app with your vaccination status. It has been announced that it will start on 29/04. But, at the beginning, it will work only for storing PCR test results for domestic trips (to Corsica) and to DOM-TOM. But they have said that it should be accepted in all EU sometime in May, and hopefully elsewhere in June. What I understood is that vaccinated people will receive a sms from social security and you will need to go to the website sidep.gouv.fr to download your certificate in TousAntiCovid app.
https://solidarites-sante.gouv.fr/ac...-securiser-les
For my coming trip, I will not take any risk and I will have a PCR test. But I will try first to present my "bad looking" vaccination certificates to the officials to see how they react and, if problem, I will show my PCR test. I will of course report here .
I'm in the exact same situation as you, Goldorak, and I was wondering the same thing: I have two rather informal-looking A4 pieces of paper for each injection, signed by the supervising doctor of the Parisian vaccination center, but I do question how travel authorities will react to my current documentation if presented.
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Old Apr 25, 2021, 6:47 am
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I would not center my travels around trying to avoid having to produce a test result, whether vaccinated or not.

First, I cannot conceive of traveling somewhere without one for reasons of personal health and safety. Simply put, if infected, the last place I want to be ill is away from home.
Second, the vaccination is great protection and that brings personal freedom and less stress. Thus, why restrict myself?
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Old Apr 25, 2021, 8:50 am
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Originally Posted by brunos
Assuming that French vaccinations details are available online, it will be of limited use for international travel until EU countries (not to mention non-EU countries) are linked to that system one way or the other.
I am not an IT specialist, but that seems a major endeavour for EU bureaucracies.
Speaking of bureaucratic wonders: is anyone aware of any country, besides France, that considers that a single shot of Pfizer/Moderna is considered a complete vaccination sequence for recovered ex-Covid patients?

Looking at various newspapers articles & official press releases, I always see mention of "two shots". Looks like the 5.5 million french citizen who got Covid will fall into some kind of limbo where the Securite Sociale will deny them a second shot while their travel options will be close to none for months to come.

I for one am seriously considering getting this unneeded second shot just to avoid potential deaf talks at borders if no countries recognize this simplified vaccination scheme.
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Old Apr 25, 2021, 9:32 am
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The US gives people a small card where the vaccination information is actually handwritten - admittedly with a CDC logo on it!

Americans and the French seem to be the top travellers wherever I go. I guess we can only hope that officials around the world will quickly get used to these rather simple forms being presented.
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Old Apr 26, 2021, 2:24 am
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Originally Posted by Braniff
The US gives people a small card where the vaccination information is actually handwritten - admittedly with a CDC logo on it!

Americans and the French seem to be the top travellers wherever I go. I guess we can only hope that officials around the world will quickly get used to these rather simple forms being presented.
I have the same in the UK with NHS.
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Old Apr 26, 2021, 3:59 am
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I don't believe that any national vaccination card will count as proof of vaccination anywhere abroad. I would expect there to be an EU certificate/format, which the individual states can issue for their citizens. Most likely, at some point, the US and other larger nations would do the same for (strictly) traveling abroad.
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Old Apr 26, 2021, 4:31 am
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Same here too (albeit on a single piece of paper). Apart from anything else, I dread the idea of taking the certificate with me as its my only proof and I hate the thought it could be stolen, soaked by rain or what not.

and indeed, in coming days it will only be new vaccinations downloadable on the TAC app whilst older vaccinations are only due to be storable from end of may and god knows how that will work for those of us with unusual circumstances such as those vaccinated through reciprocal healthcare with other countries (eg eu etc).
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Old Apr 27, 2021, 1:53 am
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Originally Posted by maalloc
Speaking of bureaucratic wonders: is anyone aware of any country, besides France, that considers that a single shot of Pfizer/Moderna is considered a complete vaccination sequence for recovered ex-Covid patients?

Looking at various newspapers articles & official press releases, I always see mention of "two shots". Looks like the 5.5 million french citizen who got Covid will fall into some kind of limbo where the Securite Sociale will deny them a second shot while their travel options will be close to none for months to come.

I for one am seriously considering getting this unneeded second shot just to avoid potential deaf talks at borders if no countries recognize this simplified vaccination scheme.
Switzerland, some parts at least. I also wonder how official will react to a one dose vaccine.
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Old Apr 28, 2021, 5:30 am
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Originally Posted by Goldorak
I have the same "problem" as you as I am travelling soon to a country that does not require anymore a PCR test for vaccinated people. I have been vaccinated in Paris and I just have 2 very bad looking papers (one per injection). The template they used was on letterhead paper of the hospital, xeroxed a million times, with blanks to fill (name/birth date of patients, name and batch number of the vaccine, date, name of the doctor supervising the vaccination). Sincerely I don't know how an official at a border can react to this
I know it is possible to obtain something looking better from the Social Security where all vaccinations are recorded instantly by the vaccination centers, but of course to make our life more complicated, it is not possible to download this from your Ameli account. You need to ask the vaccination center (or possibly a doctor ??) connected to the specific system to have it.
As said by Maaloc, it will be possible very soon to have an official QR code in the TousAntiCovid app with your vaccination status. It has been announced that it will start on 29/04. But, at the beginning, it will work only for storing PCR test results for domestic trips (to Corsica) and to DOM-TOM. But they have said that it should be accepted in all EU sometime in May, and hopefully elsewhere in June. What I understood is that vaccinated people will receive a sms from social security and you will need to go to the website sidep.gouv.fr to download your certificate in TousAntiCovid app.
https://solidarites-sante.gouv.fr/ac...-securiser-les
For my coming trip, I will not take any risk and I will have a PCR test. But I will try first to present my "bad looking" vaccination certificates to the officials to see how they react and, if problem, I will show my PCR test. I will of course report here .
Actually, do they really check those papers at destination? My experience has been that all the covid-related papers are checked at check-in by the airline ground staff and then the immigration only bothers to check your passport, checking other papers being somewhat random or rare, if any. I'll be curious to know how it went in your case, rules (and their enforcement) vary quite a lot from one country to another, after all.

Another thing, atypical vaccination schemes that we have in France: those that got AZ and are under the age of 55 are now to get the Pfizer or Moderna jab as second dose. I don't think that scheme has been approved by other countries, so, if you fall into that case, will you count as fully vaccinated or not?

Oh and last but not least, when will France authorise the vaccinated to enter here without tests? Quite frankly, it kind of looks like France has decided to simply ignore those that have already been vaccinated and not make their life any easier.
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