The success of the scheme in just two months leads the IATA to recommend it be adopted worldwide
Under two months since the EU’s Covid Passport scheme came into force the number of documents issued in Spain has risen to over 21 million, the vast majority of them concerning individuals who have received full vaccination against Covid-19.
The latest official data compiled show that of the 21,069,583 Covid certificates issued in Spain as many as 20,186,693 concern people who have received both vaccine doses (or the single-dose Janssen vaccine), equating to 65 per cent of the 32.2 million who have been fully vaccinated. The main purpose of the Covid certificate is to allow international travel, but many will have taken out their certificates in the light of numerous attempts by regional governments to make presentation of a valid health passport mandatory in order to attend cultural events or gain admission to nightlife venues.
The remaining certificates issued include 456,646 to people who have recovered after contracting the virus and another 426,244 following diagnostic testing.
Thus far 1.3 million air travellers have benefited from the “España Fast Control” system in airports across the country using the SpTH application.
Obtaining a “Covid passport”, either digital or on paper, is free of charge and applicants should apply to their regional health services: in many cases, for those who have been fully vaccinated this is as simple as walking into the local medical centre and asking for the certificate, and can take as little as two minutes on showing the relevant regional health service card. Applications can also be made to the national Ministry of Health.
Meanwhile, so successful has the EU scheme proved that the IATA (International Air Transport Association) has proposed that it be used as a worldwide standard. No such global standard has yet been introduced, and the IATA recommends that other countries subscribe to the scheme when introducing measures to facilitate air travel.
Image: Archive
Source: Murcia Today
