Hi everyone!

Is the covid test necessary to board SWISS planes?

I read on the airline's website that the test is not needed and a vaccination document can be used. Is it an official vaccination certificate? I know the government has not yet prepared an official vaccination certificate. So maybe it is just a document from a vaccination center?

Do you have experience in this matter? What documents does SWISS accept?

There's the old WHO vaccination document:



I guess there's no problem showing the vaccine certificate while boarding a plane in ZH or GE, the issue is coming back to CH.

You either need a test, or if you are not coming from a country on the "variant of concern" list, to be fully vaccinated. They have given no requirements for a vaccine certificate. https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...tml#1293258937

COVID-19 vaccination requirements
People who are fully vaccinated are exempt from many health-related measures at the border. These exemptions only apply for vaccinations that meet one of the following requirements:

The vaccine is authorised in Switzerland. The person must also be fully vaccinated according to the FOPH recommendations.
The vaccine is authorised for the EU by the European Medicines Agency. The person must also be fully vaccinated according to the requirements or recommendations of the country in which the vaccine was administered.
The vaccine is authorised according to the WHO’s Emergency Use Listing. The person must also be fully vaccinated according to the requirements or recommendations of the country in which the vaccine was administered.
The exemptions to the health-related measures at the border apply for six months from the time that you are fully vaccinated. This six-month time limit applies because there is currently too little scientific data on how long the protection afforded by the vaccines lasts.

More important is: what are the requirements of the country you're visiting? Many countries still require at least a rapid test but sometimes a PCR test, even if you're vaccinated. The airline has to enforce that or it must pay when you're turned back at the border.

Where are you headed? Folks on EF seem pretty up-to-date on requirements for a number of destinations.

This refreshed SRF article contains information and links on how to obtain a Covid Certificate by canton. Each canton is responsible for issuing the Swiss Covid Certificate for its residents (German):

https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/kant...vid-zertifikat

Translation of Canton Zurich instructions:

"Fully vaccinated persons in Canton Zurich will receive the Covid certificate via SMS as of June 14, provided they have registered via the VacMe vaccination tool and have given their consent to the transfer of data. Consent can also be recorded subsequently in the vaccination tool. Those who registered by phone via the vaccination hotline and consented to the sharing will receive the certificate by mail by the end of June. A solution for people who have been vaccinated in doctors' offices, institutions or hospitals is expected to be available by the end of June. Those who have recovered from Covid can apply for a certificate via an online form on the canton's website starting June 14. The certificate for negative test results will not be available until the end of June."

https://www.zh.ch/de/gesundheit/coro...ertifikat.html


Added:
Blick has a similar article with links in French and German. This is the link to the French version:

https://www.blick.ch/fr/news/suisse/...d16584681.html

I received a text message overnight saying my certificate was ready for download from zh.vacme.ch - very straightforward to then make copies and add it directly to the COVID Certificate App. Details & an icon for the app are highlighted on the 1 page certificate so you can't make a mistake.

It also looks like you can store more than one QR code on the app as a backup for significant other et al in case one phone is dead or you've lost the paperwork.

I've downloaded my Covid vaccine certificate, in the electronic version there's a notice at the bottom which says "This certificate is not a travel document"

This isn't written on the paper version.

I also responded to the text message requesting mine by e-mail. 24 hours later I hadn’t received anything. So I resubmitted it this morning.

The website responded

Vous avez déjà une demande de certificat qui est en cours de traitement

You have already requested a certificate which is being processed.

This for VD.

We are currently considering a holiday at the end of July/beginning of August to one of the islands in Greece.

As it currently stands, the entry requirements to Greece state that fully vaccinated travelers from an EU/Schengen state do not require to present a PCR test on arrival, but that kids older than 6 do (I understand this age threshold is also broadly in line with the EU digital green certificate requirements that were recently announced). Of course a lot can change between now and 6 weeks, especially with the prevalence of the variants, so who knows what the situation will be then.

Assuming the requirements do stay the same though, our son will be just over 5 and a half at the time of the trip so quite clearly he should be able to enter without a PCR test. Both my wife and I will be fully vaccinated by then so we should be good too.

I was however wondering what other forum users' experiences have been with similar age requirements for other leisure travel in recent times (particularly with children) - have you found airport/government staff overly bureaucratic and difficult in applying these thresholds?

I am currently debating whether it is easier to just have our son tested before the trip and have the negative certificate in hand to avoid any unnecessary delays and haggling should we come across a "difficult" official. The test is of course intrusive and not something that I would prefer to subject our son to, but interested in other's experiences to help guide our decision-making.

I don't understand the problem. If he isn't 6 by the time you travel, then he does not need to be tested. I doubt anyone would challenge that.

I agree that that it should not be a problem in theory, hence the reference in my original post to him clearly falling in the exception.

However, I also have enough life experience to know that when it comes to people applying rules things are not always as straightforward as that, especially when the requirements are constantly changing. For example, I have come across several sources that indicate the age was quite recently increased from 5 to 6 - see https://www.kidslovegreece.com/en/22...ith-my-family/.

My question is more about people potentially having any recent horror stories that may sway us in just getting the test done, rather than whether he falls within the current exception or not (which he clearly does). Of course I am hoping that there aren't such horror stories out there, and that we have nothing to worry about.

Mmm. Strange that that statement is not reflected on both versions.

Could it perhaps have something to do with the relevant authorities (following pressure from WHO and others) wanting to make it clear that the certificates are not some type of passport/a precondition for travel?

I have the same - in fairness after the 'not a travel document' bit it goes on to say ...'please check the appropriate health measures and related restrictions applied at the destination'.

Once fully vaccinated you will receive an SMS with a link where you will need to fill-up. Once confirmed, you will receive another SMS with a personal 6-digit code once the digital certificate is available.

"Scope of the COVID certificate:

The COVID certificate will be a standardized, reliable, forgery-proof tool, recognized nationally and internationally. It is to be used by people who have been vaccinated, cured or recently tested negative. It will serve mainly for border crossings and access to major events.

The COVID certificate will come into force in Switzerland at the end of June and will be recognised by the European Union as of 28th June."

https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...ertifikat.html

I believe the "this is not a travel document" statement relates more to the fact that you still need passport/ID ...

Certificates will now be valid for a year rather than 6 months:

https://www.worldradio.ch/news/bites...ss-lengthened/

My electronic COVID certificate still says 6 months

When did you receive it?

It will probably be up dated soon. All the info on BAG still says 6 months too.

A few days ago but I assume they can update it centrally?

They said that’s what they’ll do in Neuchâtel but I wouldn’t expect it to happen immediately.
I think they’ll concentrate on getting the certificates out to everyone before they start updating the ones already sent.
The earliest any of the certificates will expire will be the third week of July so they have time to update them all before then.