Covid-19: Holidaymakers can add booster to NI vaccine app

The latest version of the app is required to request the addition of a booster certificate

Proof of a booster vaccine, which is needed for some international travel, can now be added to the COVIDCertNI app, the department of health has said.

The European Union now requires that certificates demonstrate a vaccine dose was received in the previous 270 days.

Printed certificates can also be requested, the department added.

To add a booster dose, the department said users must download the newest version of the app and they will be prompted to request an update.

This request can also be made via the NI Direct Portal, it added.

Parents or guardians can also select the option to apply on behalf of children who have been vaccinated and require a certificate.

• What are NI's Covid rules after new relaxations?

The app is also used for some Northern Ireland venues, such as nightclubs and indoor unseated or partially seated events with 500 people or more.

However, evidence of a booster dose is not required for those venues.

A previous legal requirement for its use in other sectors, such as bars and licensed restaurants, was removed in January.

For domestic settings, as an alternative to showing the app certificate, people can also provide proof of two vaccine doses, NHS confirmation of a negative lateral flow test, or confirmation of a positive result within 30 to 180 days prior.

On Wednesday, the department said the app's use is still "strongly encouraged" by other businesses, despite a relaxation to the regulations.

Its statement highlighted that booster doses continue to be "widely available" from health trust clinics and community pharmacies.