Northern Ireland

Vaccine passport scheme to go live in Northern Ireland on or before July 19

A vaccine passport scheme will go live in Northern Ireland on or before July 19
A vaccine passport scheme will go live in Northern Ireland on or before July 19 A vaccine passport scheme will go live in Northern Ireland on or before July 19

A vaccine passport scheme will go live in Northern Ireland on or before July 19, it was announced last night.

According to the Department of Health, work is focused on delivering the scheme ahead of that date – potentially as early as July 5 - and should be possible providing cyber security checks are cleared successfully.

The move will bring Northern Ireland into line with the Republic.

Vaccine certification processes are also currently being developed by UK and EU authorities.

Northern Ireland’s vaccine certificates will in the first instance be in specialised hard copy format.

These will feature security and counterfeit protection features and a specialised printing process will be required.

A digital alternative to the hard copy format will be available by mid-August.

Dan West, Chief Digital Information Officer at the Department of Health, said: "The aim is effectively to have a Covid-19 vaccine passport - internationally recognised proof a person has had both vaccine doses.

"This will complement the UK’s existing traffic light system for international travel, which can include PCR tests and quarantine rules, depending on the travel location.

"While final decisions have still to be taken on how and when these vaccine certificates will be used, they are expected to make foreign travel easier for people who have had both doses".