Your next ski holiday may look a little different from what you are used to, but at the end of the day, the mountains are still there and the snow will still fall and cruising down your favourite run on a crisp, bluebird day will still be as good as ever before. Probably even better!
We want to make sure that we are doing everything possible to ensure that everyone is safe and comfortable on their ski
holiday, so we have outlined some resources which may be helpful to you when planning your next ski trip.
The EU Digital Covid Certificate
On July 19th 2021 the Republic of Ireland will adopt the EU Digital Covid Certificate system for restriction-free travel within the EU member states. This will replace the EU Traffic Light system. Essentially this means that if you are fully vaccinated then you will face no restrictions, quarantine or testing to travel within the EU.
Each member state decides what entry restrictions or requirements will apply to travellers coming from Ireland.
EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) - Additional Information
Ireland will operate the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) for travel originating within the EU/EEA. The EU Digital COVID Certificate is designed to facilitate the safe free movement of citizens within the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Irish government has signed up to this system and it will be valid in all EU Member States, including Ireland. Passengers arriving into Ireland with a DCC will not have to undergo quarantine. Individual Member States will determine how the DCC will be used as part of national public health measures.
Where is the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) valid?
The EU digital green certificate will allow travellers to holiday abroad in 27 EU countries this summer (including Italy, France & Austria). Irish citizens can use the green pass to travel within the EU when international travel resumes on July 19. The system will be used throughout the EU and is also open to Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
When is the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) valid from?
The EU Digital Covid Certificate will launch on July 1st. The Irish government will broadly implement is from 19th July 2021, subject to the prevailing public health situation.
The certificate – in digital or paper format – is proof that a person has either:
been vaccinated against COVID-19;
received a negative test result; or
recovered from COVID-19 (After contracting the virus in the past 180 days)
It is important to note that the EU Digital COVID Certificate is not a travel document. The possession of an EU Digital COVID Certificate will not be a precondition to travel. The DCC will be valid for 12 months.
Is the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) valid for all vaccines?
The digital green certificate will be issued to a person who has received any COVID-19 vaccine which has been authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). At present, this includes the Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen Pharmaceutica NV) vaccines.
What format is the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) and what is the cost?
The certificate will be available in digital or paper format. It will be a QR code and will be available digitally through a smartphone or printed on paper. The QR code will contain essential information and a digital signature to ensure authenticity. It is important to note that the EU Digital COVID Certificate is not a travel document. The possession of an EU Digital COVID Certificate will not be a precondition to travel. The certificate will be free of charge to EU citizens. A common EU framework will make certificates interoperable and verifiable across the European Union, as well as prevent fraud and forgery.
Where can you get your EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC)?
The HSE (Health Service Executive) will be responsible for administering the DCC for all individuals and it is open to people who have been vaccinated, have had a confirmed case of Covid-19 in the previous nine months or a clear PCR test. All personal data will be processed in line with the General Data Protection Regulation. To date approximately 1 million people have used the HSE vaccination portal, 1.3million have been vaccinated through the GP network and a quarter of a million people have recovered from Covid in the last 9 months all of whom are eligible for the DCC. In the coming weeks people will be contacted via email by the HSE and invited to apply for the cert.
For further details see the European Commisson information here →
We advise all those travelling to have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) which gives you the right to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in a European country.
In a world where limiting face to face contact is the new normal, throughout our 20 years, Directski.com has always championed booking online, to save you money. And after all, booking online is easy peasy!
