Overview of current national / international duration of “vaccination passes” / “recovered passes”

1. What is the duration of your digital certificates / vaccination passes on a national or international level (in case there is a difference)?

2. Please explain:

• if there is any difference between the vaccine given (i.e. AZ/ Pfizer/ Moderna/ J&J/ other)?
• if there is any difference when persons are boostered or not?

Daily new infections are increasing at tremendous pace throughout Europe due to the Omicron variant

• Are there any (further) containment measures (i.e. closure of businesses, closure of bars, closure of schools/kindergardens, restrictions in private or public gatherings, wearing nose-mouth masks indoor/outdoor) planned in your country? If yes, which measures? If not, please kindly explain reasons for not introducing any measures?
• If you are using risk classification systems to assess the current epidemiological risk in your country/its regions (“traffic light” systems): have you made or are you planning to make changes to them (indicators, thresholds)?

OMICRON - SARS CoV 2 B.1.1.529 variant of concern

• What is the state of play regarding the recent VOC 'Omicron' in your country?
• Has your country implemented new/adapted measures specifically to address the threat posed by the spread of the Omicron variant? (Or are such measures planned?)

Covid-19 vaccinations for children

In the light of the recent EMA decision:

• Do you currently have a specific vaccination strategy for children below 12 years? Yes/No
• If yes, please share further information.
• If yes, to what extent schools, school doctors and nurses will provide Covid-19 vaccinations for children?

1. Fake certificates

• What is the state of play on fake certificates in your country?
• Is there information on the number of false certificates available in your country?
• Do you have information on whether fake vaccination certificates are purchased for domestic use or cross-border travel?
• To what extend is border control aware of false certificates in your country?

2. Brief report on updated Nonpharmaceutical Interventions / Measures

Health of healthcare workers (HCW)

• What kind of monitoring is your country doing to protect the health of HCW?
• What factors are you looking at, when it comes to protection of HCW? (e.g. anxiety, depression, burnout, …)
• Is data on the health of HCW collected routinely in your country?

Concurrent with the 23rd Rapid Exchange Forum, the third Special Edition REF took place. To avoid duplication of work, we believe it is highly relevant to be aware of other international activities, mechanisms and expert groups already in place, or established during the pancemic, which exchange information on population health developments that require rapid action. 

To shed light on such activities, REF Special Editions invite key guests from relevant international organisations to report on their main activities, boards/expert groups, and different COVID-19 actions.

The guest speakers for the third Special Edition REF were:

• World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/EURO) – David Novillo Ortiz 
• European Medicines Agency (EMA) – Rosa Gonzalez-Quevedo 
• Vaccination Task Force Portugal – Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo

Tourism - Payment policy / testing policy

1. Who is or should be paying COVID-19-tests for tourists in your country?

2. Does your country have a specific testing strategy for tourism in place?

• If yes, please share further information.

Verification of vaccine certificates in your country

Is your country automatically accepting all vaccine certificates you accept for entry into the country for domestic use, too? (e.g. entry to restaurants etc.)

• If yes, please specify in which sectors vaccine certificates are valid and how the certificates are checked in specific sectors.
• If no, please indicate if and how entry for vaccinated individuals in specific sectors (e.g. restaurants, museums, ...) in your country is verified.

Hospitalizations of vaccinated/unvaccinated persons

• Is there any data available in your country on the proportion of vaccinated/unvaccinated hospitalized?
• Is there any data available in your country on the proportion of vaccinated/unvaccinated persons who require treatment in ICUs?
• If yes, please share further information.