Malta will start accepting COVID vaccine certificates issued by Serbia, Gibraltar, Jersey and Guernsey as of today, the tourism authority announced on its social media.

The health authorities only recognise certificates issued 14 days after the second dose of the Comirnaty (Pfizer), Spikevax (Moderna) or Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca), or one dose of Jannsen (Johnson & Johnson).

Photo: Visit Malta Instagram

These are the vaccinations that have been approved by EU regulators.

The Serbian Digital Green Certificate must have a readable QR code, the MTA said on Wednesday.

The new certificates will be added to the list of passes that Malta already recognises, namely: the locally-issued vaccine certificate, the EU COVID certificate, UK NHS COVID vaccination record, the US CDC COVID vaccination card and passes issued by the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.

The COVID vaccine certificate has become crucial for travel.

Right now, only those in possession of a vaccine certificate are allowed to travel to Malta without quarantining. There are exceptions for people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, children under 12 and those who were abroad and already planned to return. 

Anyone who is fully vaccinated should be able to download their Maltese Vaccine Certificate and the EU's Digital Covid Certificate two weeks after their last jab, however, some are still facing problems doing so.

In some countries, including in Malta, the certificates are also being used to allow people to attend mass events.

People wanting to go to cinemas, museums, sporting matches and other cultural venues in France will now have to show proof of COVID or a negative test, while the UK has also announced that people attending nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather in England will need to be fully vaccinated from the end of September.

More information on MTA's website here.

Photo: DOI Facebook