From February 1, covid certificates are valid for a shorter period. How long is your immunization valid? [WE EXPLAIN]

The EU COVID Certificate, commonly known as the covid certificate, is a document certifying, inter alia, getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Its validity was initially set for one year. On February 1, however, this deadline was shortened. The new certificates are now valid for nine months. What about those that were released before February 1, 2022?

1. Anyone who has received at least two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine receives a covid certificate
2. This document entitles, inter alia, to travel freely between multiple countries
3. February 1 this year. the validity of the certificates has been shortened – this is due to the need to adapt to European guidelines based on the latest data on the protection period provided by the primary vaccination against COVID-19 (6-8 months)
4. In the text, using specific examples, we explain how long the certificates issued in specific months of 2021 are valid.
5. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

What is a covid certificate?

The EU COVID Certificate (UCC) is an instrument financed by the European Union under the “Agreement to split a grant for an action under the Emergency Support Facility”. Its primary role is to facilitate the verification of passengers traveling between countries in terms of COVID-19 prevention.

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You can get it in three situations:

1. after party at least one dose vaccines against COVID-19 (EU countries decide by themselves whether one dose is enough, or whether only a two-dose vaccination will be accepted; Poland requires full vaccination); 
2. after receiving a negative test result for the presence of coronavirus;
3. after COVID-19 disease.

60 countries and territories on five continents have already been included in the UCC system.

The rest of the text is below the video.

What is the validity of the EU COVID Certificate?

The validity of the certificate depends on the circumstances in which we receive it. If it is issued on the basis of a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result, it is valid as much as the result itself, i.e. 48 hours. In the case of convalescents, the UCC is valid for up to 180 days after a positive result in the PCR test. Importantly, the certificate becomes active only 11 days after the official confirmation of the coronavirus infection.

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What about the validity of the certificate in the event of vaccination? Here it gets a bit more complicated. Until now, such a document was available to all fully vaccinated people, i.e. those who received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and was active for a year after the second injection. However, this validity was only valid until the end of January 2021.

From February 1, 2022 the validity of the covid certificate has been reduced to 270 days from the last vaccination.

This validity will appear on both post and second dose papers booster (booster dose). This means that the vaccination will be valid for nine months from the last dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. What is important, This rule is retroactive, so all certificates will be shortened, including those issued a few weeks or months ago.

How important is my vaccination?

Let’s explain it with specific examples:

Vaccination in 2021

1. If your last immunization was on January 1, 2021, your certificate expired on January 1, 2022 (request a booster for renewal).
2. If you got vaccinated on January 31, 2021, your immunization was valid until January 31, 2022.
3. If you took your second dose between the beginning of February and the end of April 2021, your certificate has already expired.
4. If you were last vaccinated in May 2021, its validity has been reduced by three months: the document will expire in this month, i.e. in February (the exact date depends on the date of vaccination).
5. A similar rule applies to each subsequent month: You should subtract three months from the expiry date of your vaccination and the date obtained will be the expiry date of the covid certificate. In other words: all certificates that have been issued for 12 months will be valid for a shorter period from February 1, 2022 – for 9 months.

Vaccination in 2022

If you got vaccinated this year in January, the validity period of the certificate was automatically updated on February 1 – your vaccination is valid until the end of September or October. For example, if you received your last dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on January 14, 2022, your certification is valid until October 11, 2022.

While each vaccination carried out after February 1 (including this date) will be valid for 270 days.

Why has the validity of the UCC been reduced?

The decision of the Polish Ministry of Health to shorten the validity of the certificate results from the communication of the European Commission (EC) of December 21, 2021. The EU executive body announced then that the certificates valid in the EU countries cannot be valid for up to 12 months.

In the light of the latest studies, the effectiveness of a two-dose vaccination decreases after about six months after taking the last dose. After this time, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control recommends a booster dose.

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The European Commission added three months to this six-month “protection period”, so that individual countries had time to adapt their vaccination calendars to the new rules and guarantee access to the booster for all citizens.

Where can I find a vaccination certificate?

The vaccination certificate is provided in a printed form with a visible QR code immediately after the injection. The document is also available electronically on the Internet Patient Account (IKP), both on the dedicated website and in the mojeIKP application.

Printed certificates received before February 1 have an expired expiry date. If you want a printout of your current certificate (a document with an updated expiry date), see your primary care physician or nurse for a printout.

However, you have permanent electronic access to UCC. You will find the certificate on your Internet Patient Account, in the mojeIKP application and the mObywatel application. If you use these tools, you do not need to report anywhere or apply for a new certificate – its validity has already been updated automatically.

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