While people vaccinated in Austria still have to wait for the EU certificates to be issued, the documents are already being distributed in Germany, even though the Federal Republic of Germany did not previously have any digital recording of Covid vaccinations.

In the Alpine republic, all corona immunizations are entered in a digital vaccination pass, which is located at the controversial ELGA GmbH. This means that all data is already available in electronic form. Nevertheless, the federal government did not manage to launch the so-called Green Passport, which according to the original announcement should have been available in April 2021, for vaccinated people.

In Germany, on the other hand, the coveted EU certificates with QR codes, which should be readable across the Union, are already being distributed. People who have already been vaccinated can get them in pharmacies and doctors' surgeries by presenting their vaccination certificate (yellow vaccination certificate, vaccination card, medical confirmation, etc.). In addition, an affidavit must be signed that the evidence presented is genuine. You will also be informed about the criminal law relevance in the case of the presentation of forgeries.

For example, in the pharmacy, the offline certificate is handed out with a QR code. This also contains the relevant data in different languages. It is expressly pointed out that this certificate alone is not a travel document, because real travel documents are identity papers such as passport, visa or identity card. The Robert Koch Institute is the issuer of the German vaccination certificates.

Austria is lagging behind the EU partners

In Germany there are now apps that can function as a Green Pass. To do this, you have to scan your QR code with the app after prior identification and then have it available in digital form. There will be similar certificates for those who have recovered, although these will be made available by the respective health department. Test centers will also issue EU-compliant certificates in the very near future. In the last two cases mentioned, these can act as a green pass via the app, for example.

When Austria will issue the EU vaccination certificates is still completely open. Currently, only those who have recovered and who have been tested can obtain the certificates, although there is still no functioning Austrian app. Originally it was announced that one wanted to start with vaccinated people, but it is precisely this group of people who will be the last to come. Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) and Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) have so far not been able to provide any plausible justification for the fact that most EU members are already issuing corresponding EU-compliant certificates and that Austria, one of the initiators of the Green Pass, is lagging behind.