OBSOLETE COVID THREAD Does the booster expire?

[DankeL]

I was planning Norte late Sept onwards. But I just found out today that if one's booster shot (or second vaccination) is more than 270 days old (9 months), one is no longer regarded as vaccinated. For Americans, here's the link to the information from US Embassy in Spain. I will have to monitor if they change this as my booster will be more than 9 months by Sept.

COVID-19 Information

es.usembassy.gov

 

[trecile]

I was planning Norte late Sept onwards. But I just found out today that if one's booster shot (or second vaccination) is more than 270 days old (9 months), one is no longer regarded as vaccinated. For Americans, here's the link to the information from US Embassy in Spain. I will have to monitor if they change this as my booster will be more than 9 months by Sept.

COVID-19 Information

es.usembassy.gov

From what I have read thus far the 270 days only pertains to the date of the final shot of the initial series. So far, the booster shot doesn't "expire."
@Kathar1na is more up to date on this than I am, so hopefully she will chime in.

 

[DankeL]

From what I have read thus far the 270 days only pertains to the date of the final shot of the initial series. So far, the booster shot doesn't "expire."
@Kathar1na is more up to date on this than I am, so hopefully she will chime in.

Looking forward to @Kathar1na response.

Here's what I found from a travel site (i.e. not governmental):

"Fully vaccinated U.S. citizens are able to continue traveling freely to Spain as tourists, so long as they provide proof of a COVID-19 booster shot administered within 14-270 days of entering the country beginning Feb. 1.

“If more than 270 days (9 months) have passed since receiving the last required dose of their COVID-19 vaccine, U.S. citizens must show proof of having received a booster shot at least 14 days prior to arrival in Spain,” per the U.S. Embassy in Spain."

As you can see, there are differing interpretations. Studies have shown that booster shots' efficacy drops after 6 months. Net, there's reasonable doubt if the booster shot is more than 9 months old, whether it will fall into the "not more than 270 days" criteria.

 

[C clearly]

“If more than 270 days (9 months) have passed since receiving the last required dose of their COVID-19 vaccine, U.S. citizens must show proof of having received a booster shot

I believe the bolded words refer to the non-booster shots - usually 2 shots. If more than 270 days have passed since the last (i.e. second) in that series, then you need a booster.

@Kathar1na probably won't be on for a few hours - she does sleep occasionally!

 

[cnissi102]

From Embassy website:
"If you are preparing a trip to Spain, you must know that due to the COVID-19 health crisis, it is mandatory to fill out a Health Control Form which can be accessed from the page spth.gob.es or by downloading the app on your mobile from the same page."
AND
"If more than 270 days (9 months) have passed since receiving the last required dose of their COVID-19 vaccine, U.S. citizens must show proof of having received a booster shot at least 14 days prior to arrival in Spain."
This leads me to believe that a booster is sufficient and does not expire.

 

[trecile]

This leads me to believe that a booster is sufficient and does not expire.

Yes, but of course, subject to change.

 

[Kathar1na]

Strictly speaking, it is not the booster but the certificate for the booster that does not expire.

As others have already said, the time limit of 270 days refers to the certificate for the basic or primary vaccination which consists of one or two shots, depending on the vaccine (2 x Pfizer, 2 x Moderna, 1 x J&J/Janssen etc).

 

[dougfitz]

Strictly speaking, it is not the booster but the certificate for the booster that does not expire.

As others have already said, the time limit of 270 days refers to the certificate for the basic or primary vaccination which consists of one or two shots, depending on the vaccine (2 x Pfizer, 2 x Moderna, 1 x J&J/Janssen etc).

There is a move here in Australia to refer to the 'booster' as the third, or subsequent dose, and base vaccination status on the length of time since the most recent dose. It will then be somewhat similar to having annual influenza vaccinations, where you are considered unvaccinated if you have exceeded the recommended time since the previous COVID vaccination.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I am SO over Covid.
Just sayin'

 

[Kathar1na]

I am SO over Covid.
Just sayin'

Many people are SO over Covid. That's why more and more people want to travel to Spain, France and Portugal. And that's why there are still questions. Because they won't let you in - they won't even let you board your flight to Europe - if you don't know the current travel restrictions that apply to your and your situation, don't have the papers and don't comply.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Many people are SO over Covid. That's why more and more people want to travel to Spain, France and Portugal. And that's why there are still questions. Because they won't let you in - they won't even let you board your flight to Europe - if you don't know the current travel restrictions that apply to your and your situation, don't have the papers and don't comply.

Yes.
All true.
I just had to say it. lol!

 

[trecile]

We may be "done" with Covid, but that doesn't mean that Covid is done with us!

 

[DankeL]

There is a move here in Australia to refer to the 'booster' as the third, or subsequent dose, and base vaccination status on the length of time since the most recent dose. It will then be somewhat similar to having annual influenza vaccinations, where you are considered unvaccinated if you have exceeded the recommended time since the previous COVID vaccination.

Good point as it has been reported that some countries are already planning a 2nd booster shot for the vulnerable segments (e.g. more than 75 years old, etc). The drug companies are also working on vaccine modifications.

Net, I think the definitive response is when one applies for the Spanish Health Form and provide one's vaccination certificate with its various doses/dates to get the QR code prior to entry into Spain.

Here's the Spanish web site.

Spain Travel Health

spth.gob.es

 

[Eve Alexandra]

We may be "done" with Covid, but that doesn't mean that Covid is fine with us!

I am voraciously following all this same info. I walk a very wide circle around Covid after having it, and I will take whatever shots they’ll give me.

What I am OVER! is the US not having a digital system that could gel with the EU system. It’s positively dinosaur-era to use a freaking piece of cardboard that will melt in water and is so easily damaged or lost. Even my kid’s school IDs are better than this.

I think in time they will find ways to simplify it all. But it makes my head spin every time I try to list out all the requirements and make sure I’m ready to meet all of them.

Worth it? Absolutely. But also…so tired of being dizzy!

 

[Bridiepie]

I was planning Norte late Sept onwards. But I just found out today that if one's booster shot (or second vaccination) is more than 270 days old (9 months), one is no longer regarded as vaccinated. For Americans, here's the link to the information from US Embassy in Spain. I will have to monitor if they change this as my booster will be more than 9 months by Sept.

COVID-19 Information

es.usembassy.gov

Hi DankeL,


I'm in Ireland.

In the EU your completed primary series Vaccination Cert expires after 270days.
Eg 2 doses of Pfizer.
1 dose of Jansen.

If you have a Booster there is no expiry to the Vaccination certificate.

Also note that the vaccine series must be complete at LEAST 14days prior to travel.

That's how it is at the moment.

I hope that's helpful.

It must be stressful travelling from outside the EU trying to figure it all out.
Good luck.

 

[dougfitz]

Net, I think the definitive response is when one applies for the Spanish Health Form and provide one's vaccination certificate with its various doses/dates to get the QR code prior to entry into Spain.

I agree that the rules extant at the time one travels are what will need to be observed.

I travelled to the UK recently for a month, and both the UK and Australia changed their travel rules several times during our preparation and again while we were away. I think continually checking this is part of the 'new reality' of travel and being well informed all the time is part of the price we pay to travel.

My earlier post was a counter-point to the view expressed that the booster would not expire. I see this quite differently, and I am predicting that we will see a change in the language used about these things that will bring it more in line with how we now talk about annual influenza vaccinations. What seems to be happening alongside that is a return to the old yellow book, the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, albeit in a much more secure form.

 

[Donna Sch]

It gets very confusing and rules change so much. I'm in Australia so the vaccines available to us have been AZ, Pfizer, Moderna and most recently Novavax.
I'll ignore Novavax for now as the approval is quite recent so affects very few people.
Basically the primary course is the first two shots and then a booster up to 6 months later. Some people who are immune-compromised need a 3rd shot as part of the primary course.
We haven't needed a 2nd booster yet although being a HCW I would not be surprised if those of us in critical areas are required to get one at some point depending on what the Israeli data shows. However with Omicron being so contagious many of us will be getting an inadvertant booster anyway. I'm currently home as a close contact as is my boss because both of us have been exposed due to our kids bringing it into the home. Teenagers, shopping centres and fast food are a recipe for Covid exposure despite mask mandates. And despite the big box of KN94s and N95s, they tend to put on the cloth mask in their pockets. It is what it is.

 

[Kathar1na]

My earlier post was a counter-point to the view expressed that the booster would not expire

I understood the thread title as a reference to the booster certificate anyway. The booster jab itself doesn’t expire, I’d say, rather the level of protection or degree of immunisation becomes weaker over time. An individual person cannot say how high their protection level is. But we ought to know whether a certificate is valid or not.

The expiration dates of our EU certificates are moving targets. I think when I got it, the certificate for my second Pfizer jab had a validity of one year. Currently it has a validity of 9 months for cross-border travel and a validity of 5 months for domestic use. It will soon become useless, it will be just a souvenir and a medical record.

My third certificate for the booster has no expiration date but that can change, too, of course.

It remains to be seen for how long I need to keep a valid EU DCC on my mobile phone. The obligation for domestic use will be phased out soon. Initially, these certificates were meant to be used only for travel between EU countries and only for one year. Now there is a draft law to extend this for another year until July 2023.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Teenagers, shopping centres and fast food are a recipe for Covid exposure despite mask mandates. And despite the big box of KN94s and N95s, they tend to put on the cloth mask in their pockets. It is what it is.

This particular model of the K95 masks has a seam down the center and folds up in a pocket or purse quite nicely so could be an option for your teens.

 

[Kathar1na]

Here is some entertainment for those who have never seen an EU DCC in action. They are currently numbered as shown below and their validity is defined by number and by days since vaccination:

• 1/2 certificates - not a valid vaccination certificate
• 1/1 and 2/2 certificates - valid vaccination certificate if at least 14 days after vaccination date and not more than 270 days after vaccination date
• 2/1 and 3/3 certificates - valid vaccination certificate

2/1 and 3/3 are the numbers that characterise booster jabs.

 

[Donna Sch]

This particular model of the K95 masks has a seam down the center and folds up in a pocket or purse quite nicely so could be an option for your teens.
View attachment 119225

I have heaps of those in my bathroom and the kids bathroom and in their rooms. But any mask is better than no mask at least for about 10 minutes. I have also told them to avoid eating indoors where there are people because when staff contract Covid in the hospital, it tends to be in the tearoom when masks are off. We have been actively discouraged from eating indoors and asked to take our breaks outside.

 

[jungleboy]

Here is some entertainment for those who have never seen an EU DCC in action. They are currently numbered as shown below and their validity is defined by number and by days since vaccination:

• 1/2 certificates - not a valid vaccination certificate
• 1/1 and 2/2 certificates - valid vaccination certificate if at least 14 days after vaccination date and not more than 270 days after vaccination date
• 2/1 and 3/3 certificates - valid vaccination certificate

2/1 and 3/3 are the numbers that characterise booster jabs.

Just to throw a cat among the pigeons, my initial dose was J&J/Janssen (1/1) and my booster was Moderna, which is listed as 2/2 on the EU certificate, not 2/1. This is slightly confusing because my 2/2 status is boosted, whereas most people’s 2/2 status is ‘fully vaccinated’ but unboosted.

 

[Kathar1na]

Just to throw a cat among the pigeons, my initial dose was J&J/Janssen (1/1) and my booster was Moderna, which is listed as 2/2 on the EU certificate, not 2/1. This is slightly confusing because my 2/2 status is boosted, whereas most people’s 2/2 status is ‘fully vaccinated’ but unboosted.

Someone must have pressed the wrong buttons when they entered your booster data into the system. Or they have not yet updated their national input system and 2/2 was the only option. In the greater scheme of things, it it is not important. All is well as long as the scanners give the green light.

I had picked up the information about the current EU DCC numbering system on a website of my own regional health provider and where my certificates are stored. And now I've also checked the authoritative source. See here: (EU) 2021/2301, Annex II, point 5.2. Booster doses.

PS: I now see that Implementing Decision 2021/2301 says that the EU countries shall implement the encoding rules set out in this Section by 1 February 2022. Of course, the sole purpose of deadlines is that they are not kept by every country.

 

[DankeL]

Hi DankeL,


I'm in Ireland.

In the EU your completed primary series Vaccination Cert expires after 270days.
Eg 2 doses of Pfizer.
1 dose of Jansen.

If you have a Booster there is no expiry to the Vaccination certificate.

Also note that the vaccine series must be complete at LEAST 14days prior to travel.

That's how it is at the moment.

I hope that's helpful.

It must be stressful travelling from outside the EU trying to figure it all out.
Good luck.

Thank you for this clarification. In USA, we don't regard vaccination certificates as expiring 270 days after the primary series/2 doses. Even if the vaccinated opts out of the booster, their vaccination certificate is still regarded as valid (re entry into premises when vaccination certificates were required at one stage). Clearly, a policy difference with regards to implementation/interpretation of vaccination certificates across the pond.

 

[Kathar1na]

ust to throw a cat among the pigeons, my initial dose was J&J/Janssen (1/1) and my booster was Moderna, which is listed as 2/2 on the EU certificate, not 2/1.

@jungleboy, check whether your regional or national health service provider offers already an update for your booster certificate. I just noticed this info in the TousAntiCovid app, and I remember that we, too, were invited to download our certificates again due to the introduction of the new numbering system although this was some time ago and I think it happened automatically through our own national app: