Explainer: What is a 'Covid pass' and how would it work?

A woman holds a smartphone displaying a digital coronavirus passport at Rotterdam-The Hague Airport. Picture: Patrick van Katwijk/BSR Agency/Getty Images

As the Government pressed pause on Ireland’s reopening plans this week, the focus has turned to the concept of using a 'Covid pass' to access indoor services in pubs and restaurants or other indoor activities.

The Government this week accepted advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) to pause plans to reopen indoor dining from next week, until a system has been developed for customers to verify their immunity status.

Today, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar hinted that the Digital Covid Certificate (DCC), being rolled out across the EU, may offer a "pathway" to allowing activities to take place indoors.

But how might that work in reality? And how close are we to getting a Covid pass into our hands?

Israel was one of the first countries to adopt a verification system for citizens, who used a ‘green pass’ detailing their immunity status, to access services.

Featuring a QR code, the green pass is scanned at the entrance of restaurants or other services to show proof of vaccination or immunity.

Several EU countries have rolled out similar verification apps and passes that can be downloaded to a smartphone or electronic device.

The EU DCC, which will enable the free movement of citizens across the EU from July, may become Ireland’s Covid pass.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar hinted that the Digital Covid Certificate (DCC), being rolled out across the EU, may offer a "pathway" to allowing activities to take place indoors.

The DCC provides digital proof that a person has either been vaccinated against the virus, received a negative test result, or recovered from Covid-19 in the previous six months.

Full vaccination will not be required to travel in Europe using the pass. 

Similar to the ‘green pass’ in Israel, the EU pass features a QR code containing essential information and a digital signature for authentication purposes and to guard against fake certificates.

The DCC details an individual’s name, date of birth, date of issue, relevant information about vaccine status or test results or recovery, and a unique identifier number.

The free digital certificate is issued automatically or on request, in digital or paper format, and will be in the native language of each member state and in English.

Some 21 countries across Europe have already rolled out the DCC, with Ireland, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania, and Sweden lagging behind.

As of July 19, Ireland will loosen travel restrictions to open up the country to EU travellers with a digital Covid pass, as part of new EU-wide travel protocols.

An update on the website of the Department of An Taoiseach states that “teams across the public service” are working on delivering the DCC and more information will be available “soon”.