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| Covid-19: NI vaccination passport applications extended | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| People in Northern Ireland who are travelling abroad up to and including 10 August can now apply for a Covid-19 vaccination certificate. | |
| The certificate allows travellers to prove they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 for countries which require that for entry. | |
| The system was offline for several days having been dogged by technical problems but resumed on Saturday night. | |
| Officials said anyone leaving after 10 August should not use the system yet. | |
| The Department of Health said increased traffic on the site may mean others cannot get their certificates on time. | The Department of Health said increased traffic on the site may mean others cannot get their certificates on time. |
| "We would appeal to those travelling later than 10 August that they do not apply at this time and help us help their fellow citizens," said the department. | |
| 'Large numbers of applications' | 'Large numbers of applications' |
| The system, which can be accessed through the NI Direct website, had been offline since last Tuesday amid concerns about some users being able to see other people's information. | The system, which can be accessed through the NI Direct website, had been offline since last Tuesday amid concerns about some users being able to see other people's information. |
| The data breach that caused the suspension has been reported to the Information Commissioner's Office, which said it is assessing what happened. | The data breach that caused the suspension has been reported to the Information Commissioner's Office, which said it is assessing what happened. |
| The aim of the CovidCertNI system is to allow people to show they have had two doses of a vaccine | The aim of the CovidCertNI system is to allow people to show they have had two doses of a vaccine |
| Dr Eddie O'Neill, the official in charge of the system, said most applications were being processed automatically but a small number had to be manually assessed. | |
| "Some of them we can't process because they don't meet the criteria, such as being less than 14 days since your second vaccination," he said. | "Some of them we can't process because they don't meet the criteria, such as being less than 14 days since your second vaccination," he said. |
| "We don't make those rules - that's under EU regulations, we don't control that. | "We don't make those rules - that's under EU regulations, we don't control that. |
| "The good news is that of 2,900 applications, 2,600 have got their certificates and we're well on course to completing [applications for] 2 August. | "The good news is that of 2,900 applications, 2,600 have got their certificates and we're well on course to completing [applications for] 2 August. |
| "All that we can possibly progress, we will process." | "All that we can possibly progress, we will process." |
| Dr O'Neill said he believed some people had been applying for certification without having an urgent need for it. | Dr O'Neill said he believed some people had been applying for certification without having an urgent need for it. |
| "These are pretty large volumes of applicants and I doubt that all of those people who have applied are travelling today or tomorrow," he said. | "These are pretty large volumes of applicants and I doubt that all of those people who have applied are travelling today or tomorrow," he said. |
| "We think that some people have not respected the request to focus on people with a more pressing need." | "We think that some people have not respected the request to focus on people with a more pressing need." |
| What went wrong? | What went wrong? |
| On Tuesday evening, the Department of Health announced that its vaccination certification service had "experienced a technical difficulty and availability will be temporarily interrupted". | On Tuesday evening, the Department of Health announced that its vaccination certification service had "experienced a technical difficulty and availability will be temporarily interrupted". |
| It added that officials were "aware that a limited number of users... may be presented with data relating to other users". | It added that officials were "aware that a limited number of users... may be presented with data relating to other users". |
| When asked about the security problems on Friday, Dr Eddie O'Neill, from the Department of Health, said: "The problem wasn't actually in anything that we built." | When asked about the security problems on Friday, Dr Eddie O'Neill, from the Department of Health, said: "The problem wasn't actually in anything that we built." |
| Dr Eddie O'Neill says large numbers of people have been applying for certification service | Dr Eddie O'Neill says large numbers of people have been applying for certification service |
| He said that the system is using the NI Direct website's identity facility, through which people can set up a personal user account to access services such as driving licence renewals. | He said that the system is using the NI Direct website's identity facility, through which people can set up a personal user account to access services such as driving licence renewals. |
| "It was never built for the scale of applications that we've been getting - thousands and thousands - and as a result of that just one of the components in the back end just failed." | "It was never built for the scale of applications that we've been getting - thousands and thousands - and as a result of that just one of the components in the back end just failed." |
| How does NI compare to the rest of the UK? | How does NI compare to the rest of the UK? |
| Adults registered with GPs in England can apply for a NHS Covid Pass, which allows users to show proof of their vaccination, test or immunity status. | Adults registered with GPs in England can apply for a NHS Covid Pass, which allows users to show proof of their vaccination, test or immunity status. |
| They are available to download through the NHS app (in England only) or applicants can request a paper document to be posted to their home address. | They are available to download through the NHS app (in England only) or applicants can request a paper document to be posted to their home address. |
| Holidaymakers in Scotland have been able to access a vaccine certificate since 19 May - it could be downloaded from an NHS portal or requested in the post through a freephone Covid status helpline. | Holidaymakers in Scotland have been able to access a vaccine certificate since 19 May - it could be downloaded from an NHS portal or requested in the post through a freephone Covid status helpline. |
| However, the site suffered a security glitch on 22 May which enabled people to alter details on the document. | However, the site suffered a security glitch on 22 May which enabled people to alter details on the document. |
| NI vaccination passport service back in action | NI vaccination passport service back in action |
| Would-be NI travellers hit by Covid travel app issues | Would-be NI travellers hit by Covid travel app issues |
| Covid travel app launches after system 'pressure' | Covid travel app launches after system 'pressure' |
| A fix was implemented on 25 May, which meant people in Scotland could only request the document be sent to them by post. | A fix was implemented on 25 May, which meant people in Scotland could only request the document be sent to them by post. |
| In Wales, public health advice still states that residents should "avoid international travel" but that is guidance rather than a ban. | In Wales, public health advice still states that residents should "avoid international travel" but that is guidance rather than a ban. |
| Paper vaccine certificates have been available since May, and on 25 June the digital NHS Covid Pass became available for "urgent travel" only. | Paper vaccine certificates have been available since May, and on 25 June the digital NHS Covid Pass became available for "urgent travel" only. |
| At that time, the Welsh government advised people to register to download the digital pass at least two weeks before they were due to travel abroad. | At that time, the Welsh government advised people to register to download the digital pass at least two weeks before they were due to travel abroad. |
| Unlike England however, residents in Wales cannot use the NHS app to access the NHS Covid Pass. | Unlike England however, residents in Wales cannot use the NHS app to access the NHS Covid Pass. |
| Instead they need to register for an NHS login which requires submitting photo ID such as a passport or driving licence. | Instead they need to register for an NHS login which requires submitting photo ID such as a passport or driving licence. |