Irish tourists have been given a fresh summer holiday hope as Spain confirmed vaccine certificates are expected to be ready by June.
The digital cert that would allow travel restrictions within the EU to ease could be ready by as soon as mid-May, according to Spanish foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya.
The senior politician told a radio interview on Wednesday that "if all goes well, we will have a vaccination certificate by June at the latest".
Countries that heavily rely on their summer tourism may be in a position to welcome visitors this summer, following the announcement by the European Commission earlier this month that ‘Digital Green Certificates’ are to be brought in.
These certificates would show proof of vaccination, negative PCR test results or recovery from the virus in order to allow passengers to travel safely.
The Spanish government is currently only allowing essential travel in and out of the country, as well allowing citizens to return home.
However, on Wednesday, March 10, the government said they will allow tourists to enter the country once again from May 2021, provided they have a vaccine passport.
They haven’t yet specified if the impending ‘Digital Green Certificate’ will suffice or if people have to be fully vaccinated before travelling.
Meanwhile there is growing optimism of a return to normality, as earlier in March top medic Luke O’Neill told the Irish Mirror he believes that if the vaccine rollout goes as planned, people could travel between European countries in the summer.
The immunologist said: “If we get to this key moment in June where we see mass vaccination all over Europe, then it might be possible to think about travel between two European countries in the summer, but again it’ll depend on the data.
“There will probably be antigen testing at the airport and then you can travel between green zone countries.
“Vaccine certificates will come for definite. The EU have said that and you can show you’re vaccinated to get into a theatre or into a bar or restaurant too.”
