Despite bugs, CovidSafe is successful: here's how to fix the problems

The CovidSafe application, launched in Belgium this Wednesday, June 16, allows you to download your vaccine passport, the code of a negative PCR test carried out within 72 hours or a certificate of recovery after contamination with Covid- 19. It will allow you from July 1 to go to many European countries. But the application is not the only option to obtain the vaccine passport.

The CovidSafe app was released a day earlier than expected and it was taken by storm on Wednesday. According to an inside government source, the app was downloaded almost 650,000 times on Android and iOS in 24 hours, confirming its success.

This craze has caused problems with connecting via the itsme application, this connection portal linked to identity cards and allowing you to connect to the various federal government services, in particular. Because it's not just the Covid at the moment, there are also... tax returns. And the federal services registration portal was stormed between those filling out their taxes on Tax On Web and those downloading their health pass. This has since been corrected, and it is asked, in the event of a connection problem, to wait to connect at off-peak hours, either in the early morning or in the evening.

► Our report | The European covid pass is available for Belgium: how does it work? (video)

At the same time, many have pointed to problems accessing the pass despite having had two vaccinations. This may be mainly due to an administrative problem, and the federal services offer either to relaunch the connection on the application, or to call the regional health portals, or 02 214 19 19 for the Brussels Region.

Finally, another bug: the absence of the application on the Android Play Store. When you type CovidSafeBe on the search bar, the Belgian application cannot be found… We are told that this should be resolved by next week, but in the meantime, a direct download link is offered on the CovidSafe.be site: you can download the app here.

Getting your pass without an app

However, the app is not the only option for obtaining the vaccination certificate. Already, not all Belgians have a compatible device to download the application. The federal authorities, and more precisely the Flemish regional service Digitaal Vlaanderen in charge of the development of this tool, confirm that the application is compatible with nearly 96% of the smartphones available on the Belgian market.

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— TheDiaryofDaniel Sun Sep 29 02:15:10 +0000 2019

For all those who cannot obtain the application or have more difficulties with smartphones, it is possible to go to the federal portal MaSanté.be or to the portal of the Brussels Health Network to download and print from home. you the famous vaccination certificate.

You can also request this certificate by post, by calling the Brussels call center on 02 214 19 19.

And for minors?

It can be particularly useful for your children: the European certificate is announced as necessary for anyone from 6 years old. Minors traveling with vaccinated parents should not need a vaccination pass a priori. The decision rests with the Member States of the European Union who should decide in the coming days.

However, if traveling unaccompanied, the minor must, depending on the country, print proof of the negative PCR test via the health portals specified above (MaSanté or the Brussels Health Network).

How long is the pass valid?

The certificate is valid for one year, from the day of the 2nd dose of vaccination received. And as a reminder, CovidSafe also allows you to display your negative PCR tests (valid for 72 hours from the time of the test) or your certificate of recovery, which confirms that you have antibodies after contamination with Covid-19 and valid for one 180 day period, 11 days after your positive test.

Where can this pass be used?

The vaccine pass can be used in all countries of the European Union by July 1 only. Currently, countries that can read data from vaccination certificates are Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Greece, Iceland, Latvia , Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and the Czech Republic. And other European countries should be added to this list by July 1st.

To be sure that the vaccination pass is well accepted in such and such a country, do not hesitate to go to the Foreign Affairs website to read the travel advice, country by country.

Gr.I. – Photo: CovidSafe.be