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Following the rollout of the EU Digital COVID Certificate in Ireland, and the successful COVID Booster Vaccination Programme, updated Digital COVID Certificates will now be issued to those who have received an additional vaccine dose. 

Over 2.2million additional doses have already been administered in Ireland, and recipients of these vaccines can start to expect a Digital COVID Certificate recording their additional dose from this afternoon (Thursday 6 January). The process of issuing these certificates will take a number of days, and people are advised to check their email.

This service is available ahead of the new EU rules which will come into effect from 1 February 2022, with a new 9-month maximum validity period for EU Digital Covid Certs based on a completed primary vaccination regime. Similar validity periods on vaccination certificates for domestic use (such as access to indoor dining etc) are not currently planned by the Government.

Welcoming the development, Minister Donnelly said: “I am very pleased to announce that having worked with partners across Government, EU Digital COVID Certificates will be updated to reflect additional vaccine doses. Those who have received an additional dose can expect to start to receive their updated certificate over the coming week.

Ireland’s COVID-19 Booster Vaccination Programme has been a wonderful success, with all aged  16+ eligible to register for an additional dose now. Similar to our primary Vaccination Programme, uptake of the booster vaccine in Ireland is second highest in the EU at 57% of the adult population.”

 The Minister of State for Public Procurement and eGovernment, Ossian Smyth T.D. said: “New Digital Covid Certs will issue to everyone who received a booster shot, starting tonight. Take up of the booster vaccine has been very successful with over 2 million people in Ireland boosted to date. An updated DCC will be on its way to everyone who has availed of the booster dose. This is an important document to ensure a smooth travel experience for anyone leaving the country in the coming months.

The updated DCC will contain a QR code, as before, and the cert can be stored on the Covid Tracker App, replacing the old cert”

ENDS //

NOTES TO EDITOR

• Updated Digital COVID Certificates will be issued to those who have received an additional dose in groups over the course of one week, starting January 6th.
• These new certificates will be issued via email.
• Following the first week of issuing, if eligible people have not received their updated certificate, they can use the online self-service portal at gov.ie/dcc
• Changes to the updated certificate can also be made using the online self-service portal.
• People can also request a certificate of recovery if recovered from COVID-19 in the last 6 months via online self-service portal
• The Digital COVID Certificate helpline was setup to provide the public with a service to request their EU Digital COVID Certificate. Since launching in July earlier this year, this service has been expanded to include a number of online self-service portals and more recently a WebChat channel. 
• The expansion of this service to include multiple communication channels is in line with the Government’s commitment to the provision of accessible digital services.