Tánaiste says not everyone will receive Digital Covid Cert today

The Tánaiste said the EU Digital Covid Certificates will only go out to people who have been fully vaccinated. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar says it will take time to get the EU Digital Covid Certificates sent out to everyone who has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Almost two million travel certs, which pave the way for people to travel seamlessly throughout the European Union from July 19, are due to be sent out today.

The certificates provide proof of vaccination, proof of recovery from infection in the last six months, or of a negative PCR test within 72 hours of travel.

"It's quite a big operation being led by the Office of Government Procurement also with the help of the Revenue Commissioners," Mr Varadkar said.

"I wouldn't anticipate everyone will get their digital cert today, it might take a little bit longer than that."

People who signed up and were vaccinated through one of the mass vaccination centres around Ireland will receive their Digital Covid Certificate by email.

However, for those who got their jabs at a pharmacy of a GP surgery, they will receive their cert by post.

The Tánaiste added that it will only go out to people who have been fully vaccinated.

"It's important to say that people aren't fully vaccinated until a week or two after their second dose, or two weeks in the case of the Janssen vaccine," he said.

Almost two million travel certs, which pave the way for people to travel seamlessly throughout the European Union from July 19, are due to be sent out today.

Eoghan Corry, Editor of Air and Travel Magazine, says for those who receive their certification by email, there will be a link where they can download the QR code.

"We don't know how the technology of that is going to cope with the volume, and there is a call centre set up," he said.

"In other countries, they've dealt with large volumes of requests in the opening days quite successfully."

Recovery certificates will be available 11 days after a positive test and will be valid for no more than 180 days.

Digital Covid Certificates will also be provided by private Covid testing services.

'We're really bracing ourselves'

Meanwhile, an infectious disease consultant says every step that is opened up will lead to increased transmission of the virus.

Dr Eoghan de Barra of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) says once people are mixing there is going to be an increase in case numbers.

On Sunday, 576 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed, with 58 patients in hospital, a rise of six on the previous day.

Dr de Barra told Newstalk he hopes more people do not end up in hospital with the disease.

"I think we're really bracing ourselves a little bit to see exactly what the conversion rate to hospital is with the rate of vaccination in the population and this variant," he said.

"The hope will be that it will be significantly lower and the people who are in, and anecdotally the patients who are in a present, are less ill and are in for a shorter period of time."