European Union propose nine month expiry date for vaccine passports

The European Union has proposed a nine-month expiration date for travellers' vaccine passports. Photo / Unsplash

If it's been more than nine months since your second jab, you may need a booster before heading to Europe.

The European Union recently proposed an 'expiration date' of nine months for visitors' Covid-19 vaccination passports.

A booster shot would become necessary for travellers to extend the validity of their EU Digital COVID Certificate.

The proposal would be part of an attempt to quell the recent wave of coronavirus cases that have prompted several countries to return to lockdown.

Speaking on Thursday, European Commissioner Didier Reynders said it was important to stay vigilant in how they managed the pandemic. "It is evident that the pandemic is not yet over," he said.

"The travel rules need to take into account this volatile situation."

According to the European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the vaccine begins t lose efficacy after six months. As a result, the recommendation to receive a booster shot after nine months has not been considered particularly controversial and is not an attempt to prevent tourists from visiting.

In a document seen by Bloomberg, the European Union said fully-vaccinated travellers should still be welcomed into the bloc.

How long a booster would extend a person's Covid-19 passport remains to be confirmed.

In a statement, the commission said "it can reasonably be expected that protection from booster vaccinations may last longer than that resulting from the primary vaccination series."

Since it is a proposal, 27 EU members states must approve the submission for it to be approved.

The proposal also includes a recommendation that children under six years old be exempt from travel restrictions while those aged between 6 and 12 are exempt unless they are from a high-risk country.

Currently, many European countries have slightly different regulations on how long one's vaccination status lasts and how booster shots will be managed, something the EU want to standardise.