People initially inoculated with single-shot Johnson & Johnson, who later received COVID-19 booster shots, may experience problems with their vaccination certificates. "After discussing the issue with digital affairs minister, we've made an urgent decision to halt issuing of certificates," Health Ministry spokesman Wojciech Andrusiewicz said on Friday. He added that the problem concerns all EU member states.
The Ministry of Health have been receiving reports from people vaccinated with the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, regarding problems they have been experiencing with COVID certificates, after receiving booster shots.
Polish government's plenipotentiary for cyber-security, Janusz Cieszyński, said on Friday that the digital system validator, created in accordance to EU guidelines, fails to differentiate booster shots from second doses of initial vaccinations and approves them only after 14 days.
"Urgent decision"
Health Ministry spokesman Wojciech Andrusiewicz commented on the issue at a press conference on Friday. "After discussing the issue with digital affairs minister, we've made an urgent decision to halt issuing of certificates of booster shot reception for people vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson vaccine," he informed.
Andrusiewicz added that this was not only Poland's problem. "This problem is at the EU level, affecting all member states," he explained.
"After getting vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson product and then receiving a booster shot, in our vaccination card attached to the certificate we see 'doses 2/2'. It means that the last received dose is either Pfizer or Moderna. Therefore, apps in all member states read it as if we have been fully vaccinated either with Pfizer or Moderna, and that we're in the 14-day waiting period," the spokesman said.
Andrusiewicz also said that due to a lack of regulations at the EU level, the ministry has decided to halt issuing booster shot certificates. "Basic vaccincation certificates are valid for 12 months, so here there we see no problems with citizens using those documents," he assured.
Two certificates
Ministerstwo Zdrowia podało, że w ciągu dwóch tygodni na Internetowym Koncie Pacjenta osób zaszczepionych dawką przypominającą - po szczepieniu J&J jako szczepionką podstawową - dostępne będą dwa certyfikaty: po pierwszej dawce i po dwóch dawkach. Dzięki temu takie osoby będą mogły posługiwać się jednym lub drugim certyfikatem.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, TVN24