UK travellers using their NHS COVID Pass when flying to Murcia and other European destinations have been advised the document should be updated from the start of this month.
The pass is now part of the EU Digital COVID Certificate system but, according to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, people wanting to demonstrate their COVID-19 status using a printed PDF version will need to ensure the printout is dated from 1 November.
“Spain will accept the UK’s COVID-19 vaccination record. If you are travelling with a printed PDF proof of vaccination status, it must date from 1 November to ensure that the certificate can be scanned successfully. Your NHS appointment card from vaccination centres is not designed to be used as proof of vaccination and should not be used to demonstrate your vaccine status.”
Reportedly, the issue arises because the unique QR Codes of the PDF version of NHS COVID Passes cannot be recognised by the 45 countries using the EU system due to technical difficulties.
Spain “Safest Destination in EU”
Meanwhile, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s latest map update demonstrates that Spain is currently the safest EU destination for travel when it comes to potential COVID-19 risks.
All of Spain’s 17 regions are either colour-coded green, which means they have reported fewer than 50 COVID-19 infection cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the two weeks under review, or on the orange list (slightly higher numbers but still safe for travel).
The ECDC therefore concludes that, thanks to Spain’s low infection rates, travel to and from the country is not discouraged, especially for air passengers who have been vaccinated or recovered from the virus within the stipulated EU Digital COVID Certificate time frame.
Spain also has one of the highest vaccination rates across the continent, with (according to latest available ministry of health figures) 88.7 per cent of the population 12 years and older now fully vaccinated.
Coinciding with the World Travel Market in London, Spain’s minister for industry, trade and tourism Reyes Maroto said Spain is one of the preferred destinations for international tourists not only because of its tourist attractions but also because of its high levels of safety.
