Digital COVID-19 vaccine passport in Việt Nam. — VNA Infographic

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam has attained mutual COVID-19 vaccine passports with 19 countries as of April 4, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Deputy spokesperson for the ministry Phạm Thu Hằng said during a press briefing on Thursday that the latest additions are Malaysia and Iran, along with the previous 17 countries: the United States, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, Belarus, India, Cambodia, the Philippines, Maldives, Palestine, Turkey, Egypt, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Singapore, and Saint Lucia.

Currently, Việt Nam has recognised the vaccine certificates of 79 countries and territories.

Hằng also said the Ministry of Health has recently announced the details of the protocol on COVID-19 vaccine passports and it is expected that starting from April 15, 2022, the issuance of the passports will roll out for the general public.

People may receive their digital vaccine passport on the PC-COVID app or the Sổ Sức khoẻ điện tử (E-health book) app or via email.

Việt Nam however doesn’t require vaccine certificates for people seeking entry into the country as part of the complete reopening plan from mid-March, and only require proofs of negative RT-PCR COVID-19 tests done within 72 hours of boarding (or 24 hours with rapid antigen tests) for quarantine-free travel. — VNS