1. Your vaccination appointment-card shows the date of your vaccinations, and which vaccine(s) you received. I know a dentist who had his card laminated as he thought it could be a useful thing to have, but life has moved on since then and I have thrown my card away as no organisation I know will accept it as proof of covid status - perhaps because such cards are easily forged.
2. Download the NHS app. This is separate from the NHS covid test-and-trace app. To use the NHS app you will need to upload a copy of your passport photo-page or similar document and take an acceptable selfie with your smartphone. This is a time-consuming process, but every step of the way is clearly explained. The main drawback in my experience is that the QR code showing your status has an expiry date of June 20. Presumably this will be automatically updated, but a snafu is always possible.
3. Dial 119 and ask for a letter to be sent to you with your covid vaccination status (note that you are not supposed to ring your GP for such a letter). My letter arrived this week and, as can be seen in the photo below, shows one's status in words and, more importantly, includes a QR code for scanning that should contain the recipient's vaccination status.
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| My vaccination letter |
Having taken steps two and three (and one for that matter), I feel a greater peace of mind.
It should ease my entry when I fly to Greece next week for an Amateur Chess Organization tournament being held in Crete, and will save me the cost of a pre-flight covid test.
Greece is on England's amber list, but travel to Crete is fine, according to the UK government.
The Foreign Office "advises against all but essential travel to Greece, except for the islands of Rhodes, Kos, Zakynthos, Corfu and Crete."
Nevertheless I will be treated as having visited an amber country, which means a test before I return, two tests after returning and 10 days of isolation.
Will it be worth it? Time will tell.
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