We are totally immersed in the summer season, when most human beings take advantage of a few vacation days to disconnect from work and worries and travel the world away from our usual place of residence.
After a little over a year of a pandemic with various periods of containment, many will take the opportunity to make their travel dreams come true. This is where the use of the COVID passport or the European digital certificate that the European Union has put in place to facilitate mobility between member countries comes in.
What is the COVID passport?
Also known as the green digital certificate, the COVID passport is a document approved by the 27 member countries of the European Union with which the holder is proven not to be infected with the coronavirus.
In this way, the COVID document offers guarantees that the holder has antibodies, is vaccinated with the complete regimen or has already taken a PCR test with a negative result.
The COVID passport holder is fully digital, although a paper version may also be requested. In both cases, it contains a QR code with the citizen’s health information.
It should be remembered that, although not compulsory, with this measure, the member countries of the European Union intend to promote intra-community circulation and renounce the use of the forms of each country to centralize information and rationalize management.
How much does the COVID passport cost?
One thing that every citizen should be clear about is that the COVID passport or digital certificate has no cost, as it is completely free, unlike other national documents or passports that prove the nationality of each person.
Its entry into force officially takes place on July 1, the date from which any citizen who will cross the member countries of the European Union can make a request in order to speed up the exit and entry procedures of each country.
Where to get the COVID passport?
This is something that can vary depending on the country of the European Union in which you reside. In Europe, the government has left the management of the shipment in the hands of each Autonomous Community, so you must request it through the official website or app of the Ministry of Health in each region.
In the case of the Community of Madrid, this has included a new functionality associated with the virtual health card. Madrid residents who have installed the application on their mobile will have access to this information relating to their vaccination status.
Another community such as Castilla y León began testing on June 7 and reports that the COVID passport can only be obtained through the health portal or from the SACYL Conecta application.
It is important that regardless of the platform of your mobile device, Android or iOS, the download of the application is done from the official application stores of the Apple Store O google play.
Where is COVID passport information stored?
From the European Union, a portal has been created from which it is possible to verify the signatures of all EU certificates, without using any type of personal data of the holder of each issued passport.
The COVID digital certificate contains a QR code that we mentioned earlier, with a digital signature that protects it from counterfeiting. Each health authority that issues it has its own digital code, which is verified by scanning the QR code.
The information of the issuing center is stored in a secure database in each country. This does not mean that citizens should beware of fraudulent emails or SMS or of unknown origin in which they are asked to register in order to obtain it.
Technology companies like Entelgy, and more particularly in the field of cybersecurity Innotec Security, they provide us with a series of recommendations in order to avoid and prevent possible frauds which will undoubtedly increase due to its launch.
- The COVID passport is completely free and voluntary, so fraudulent messages that request payment or bank information should not be ignored.
- We must make sure of the Autonomous Community that issues it, so that as citizens we only ask for it through the channels established as official.
- The data contained therein is protected in a secure database in each member country of the European Union, which includes a unique digital signature of the user as an additional protective measure.
If you are interested in the security of your data and being able to experience phishing or some vulnerability when applying for your COVID passport, take a look at the article at safety tips for using the internet safely.
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