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IATA urges caution on Europe’s proposed nine month limit on vaccines
November 30th 2021
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has criticised a European Commission (EC) recommendation that COVID-19 certificates used by fully vaccinated air travellers should lapse nine months after the last vaccine was administered unless they get a booster shot. Read More » The EC recommended the time limit last week, but IATA said nine months could be insufficient to allow member states to harmonise the time allowed between full vaccination and a booster shot. It said it would be better to delay the requirement until all states are offering booster jabs to all citizens and to allow a 12-month validity to give more people time to access the third shots. “The proposal to manage limitations on the validity of the DCC creates many potential problems,” said IATA ‘s regional vice president Europe, Rafael Schvartzman. “People who received the vaccine before March, including many health workers, will need to have accessed a booster by January 11 or they may be unable to travel. Will European Union (EU) states agree on a standardized time period? How will the requirement be harmonized with the many states that have developed COVID passes that are reciprocally recognized by the EU?”
