BRITISH holidaymakers may need paper Covid vaccine passports to travel abroad – but tests will be made freely available to open up tourism again, it’s reported.
The certificates could be used from May 17 – the date the travel ban could be lifted – because of delays rolling out the scheme digitally.
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The Government has admitted the NHS app might not be ready to use as a vaccination certification by that date and is preparing “another approach”.
At least 20 countries have indicated they will allow holidaymakers to use vaccine passports instead of PCR tests.
But only Greece has confirmed it will accept paper certificates amid fears that paper Covid passports can be easily forged.
The Portuguese government has said it will only accept a digital pass.
Spain is in talks with Downing Street for a “mutually recognisable” app.
A source told The Telegraph: “I suspect they will take whatever evidence we have in the short term, whether it is another private app solution, a paper certificate, a letter from your GP or a negative PCR test.”
It comes as the Government prepares to announce its traffic light system of countries on Friday.
Only a handful of destinations, including Gibraltar and Malta, are expected to be in the “green-list” of quarantine-free countries.
And while holiday hotspots in the EU are desperate to welcome back tourists, Boris Johnson has hinted he won’t let Brits go amid fears of an “influx of disease”.
The PM is still mulling over his travel ‘green list’ – and it’s likely top holiday destinations, including Spain and Greece, won’t yet be on it when it’s announced as early as this week.
Portugal is the only major European holiday destination that could make it onto the green list.
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