Hundreds of thousands of Irish people will be receiving their EU Digital COVID Cert over the coming days, either by post or email.
The certs - aimed at allowing easier travel between EU member states - will be available for anyone who has been fully vaccinated, as well as those who've recovered from COVID-19 in the last six months. However, only the former group will be receiving certs automatically.
Around one million fully vaccinated people will be getting their cert by email, and they’re all expected to be sent by Thursday.
You will be getting the email from the address “no-reply-dcc@health.gov.ie”. However, it may go into your spam folder - if you’re expecting a cert and haven’t gotten one yet, make sure to check spam.
The helpline number for the digital certs is 1800 851 504. It’s open for emergencies or urgent queries only for now, however - the full helpline will open from July 19th.
Hundreds of thousands of other fully vaccinated people will be getting their certs by post. Around 150,000 certs were sent out yesterday, with similar numbers expected each day this week. Everyone eligible should get their cert by next Tuesday at the latest.
Officials saying the limit on posting Digital Covid Certs partly down to printing capacity. Now if only we had a high powered printer sitting idly somewhere.... https://t.co/pLevCzfOzT
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) July 13, 2021
The helpline won’t be able to process requests for certs for people who’ve recovered from COVID-19 until next Monday. Around 130,000 people have recovered from the virus in recent months, although many will have been vaccinated since then so they’ll get their cert that way.
Anyone with an emergency case should get in touch with the helpline before July 19th to be prioritised once requests are processed.
Despite some confusion around comments from ministers, the Government has clarified that GPs will not be involved in issuing certs for those who’ve recovered from the virus - all those requests will instead go through the call centre. That means it will only apply for those who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last six months, and not anyone who thinks they may have had the virus but never tested positive.
Doctors' organisations are urging people to not call their GPs over the issue, as they have no role in issuing the certs.
Your GP has NO role in the issuing of Digital Covid Certs & cannot issue letters confirming either vaccination or results of COVID tests. GPs are very busy at this time and we ask patients not to call in relation to COVID Certs. For details on Covid Certs https://t.co/kaSRXIJLJq
— Irish Medical Organisation (@IMO_IRL) July 13, 2021
The digital green cert will not be mandatory to fly abroad once EU travel resumes from next week. However, the Government has warned that those without the cert are likely to face extra checks and potential delays in airports.
It has also been confirmed the COVID Tracker App is being updated so it can include the green cert.
It will display a QR code to show the person has been vaccinated.
Department of Health official Muiris O’Connor says people can choose not to be tracked by the app and just use it for the cert instead.
It's hoped the app update will be in place from some time next week.
