Ireland: Leo Varadkar is considering a "vaccination certificate".

Irish Minister Leo Varadkar said that the government would currently be studying the proposal for a vaccine certificate. This would be a kind of standardized certificate, which could be distributed to Irish people who have received their Covid-19 vaccines. This pass would give them access to certain social services that are currently closed: public swimming pools, cinemas, irish pubs, restaurants and gymnasiums. According to the Minister, this system would allow a gradual and controlled return to normal… while controlling the risks of exposure to the coronavirus.

A “pass” only for those who have been vaccinated

A system, not to be confused with the vaccination passport

Leo Varadkar was very clear: this vaccination certificate aims to expand the social freedoms of the vaccinated people. It is not to be confused with a possible vaccination passport, which is intended to control the flow of international travelers.

I wouldn’t use the word passport because people automatically associate the word passport with foreign travel,” Varadkar said. But we are going to give everyone a certificate. It will be a standard European form.”

When asked if the certificate could be eventually used to travel within EU nations, he replied:

I think we’re very far off that. Israel, which is the country that is furthest ahead of everyone in terms of vaccination now has a thing called the green badge.

And if you have got the green badge, which means you’ve got the vaccine, you can go into certain establishments.

You can go to theatres, cinemas, I think bars. You don’t have to restrict your movements if you’re a close contact.

Let’s see how they get on and we’ll have a better idea by the middle of the year, by June, as to whether that worked or not.

Bear in mind, even if you’ve had the vaccine, you can still get Covid, you can still carry it in your nose, you can still infect other people.

Leo Varadkar therefore chooses the observation card before taking action. He intends to explore all the possibilities so that he can offer Ireland an effective strategy to contain the epidemic and help return to normal as soon as possible.

In Ireland, the population remains in wait. The pace of the vaccination campaign is increasing and the government is keeping a close eye on the numbers of new infections. The situation now seems to be under control, and the infection rate is falling again, following the unsaturation of a long confinement, launched at Christmas.