I am in a similar situation. My 2nd shot was in Feb 2021, and my digital pass doesn’t cover my booster yet since I haven’t visited Germany since I got the shot in early October.

Apparently the EU will adopt (for intra-EU travel) a validity of 270 days (six months + 3 months grace period) after completion of the original series (2nd dose for 2 dose vaccines, single dose for J&J).

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pres.../en/ip_21_6837

For Germany the digital vaccine cert is currently valid for 12 months.

https://www.zusammengegencorona.de/i...1-af0ef59cfbd0

(the info isn’t very precise, but presumably they mean 12 months after completion of the original series, and it hasn’t been updated yet to account for booster shots)

Thanks. I have the German COVPass with a digital certificate, and the validity is showing good for a full year from my 2nd dose, but per Oliver's post, it seems that may be changing to 9 months.

The certificate is digitally signed with a validity of 12 months from the date of issue, the date of vaccination doesn’t matter. Right now you count as vaccinated as long as you can show the certificate, the CDC card is fine, especially for those not resident in the EU. Booster will be handled the same way.

Thanks! Doe you have any links to info on the change to 9 months?

So even if my digital certificate is no longer valid, my CDC card should work? I thought I read that some places in Germany were rejecting the physical CDC cards.

Which obviously makes no sense because anyone with an expired digital pass could just go into a pharmacy with their paper WHO vaccine passport and have them issue a new cert, thus extending the validity by another 12 months.

The EU page I linked above explains how it works:

”The acceptance period will not be encoded in the certificate itself. Instead, the mobile applications used to verify the EU Digital COVID Certificates will be adjusted: If the date of vaccination is longer than 270 days ago, the mobile application used for verification will indicate the certificate as expired.”

I assume the German rules will follow this soon.

The certificate has a “technical expiry date “ which is 12 months from the date of issue, not the date of vaccination. The checking apps cannot read the certificate after that date. The verification app takes the date of vaccination and the number (2/2 or 3/3) to check it.

I understand that. My point, though, is that the technical expiration date is not what the apps will use going forward to determine if you count as fully vaccinated. I think we both agree here.

Just wanted to check others share my understanding that I don't need a negative covid test to visit Germany (and specifically Berlin) at the moment and don't need to isolate on arrival from the UK?

I'm fully vaccinated 2 + booster and booster done last December

Thanks

That's correct.

Many thanks.

One less thing to organise

When I was last in Germany in September 2020, I wore my own fabric mask (which has a high grade filter sewn inside, though you wouldn't know from looking at it). This was acceptable everywhere, but I believe some / all places now require surgical or FFP2 masks. Is this correct and are there any plans to soften the requirement?

I would be going to NRW, RP, BW and possibly BER airport.

Each province has its own restrictions, so you must consult the requirements of each individual region. Yes, wonderful federalism.....

That said, fabric masks are not permitted in any province that I know of in Germany. In Hesse and RP, a medical grade mask is sufficient (we tend to be more pragmatic here). In Bavière, a FFP2 is required pretty much everywhere.

A loosening of restrictions in general is not forseen for the next few weeks and certainly the type of mask requirement will not change.

Niedersachsen (lower saxony) is FFP2 lovers, too (e.g. public transport).

A change in the rules effective Monday 07/02/22 in Hesse :

The prior 2G rules for general stores is removed. Now back to 3G (tests allowed in addition to vaccination or recovery)
Hotspot rules removed - the wearing of masks in outdoor spaces no longer obligatory. (makes sense, as the whole province is a Hotspot)
Sporting events allowed to have fans again, up to 10k in open spaces
FFP2 required in stores (I have doubts on the enforcement of this).

Thanks for sharing this! Is there a link you can share with the updated regulations?