Delta Threat Looms As European Union Revives Travel With Covid Pass

The European Union Covid certificate shows whether the bearer is vaccinated with one of the bloc's approved jabs or has a recent negative Covid test.

An European Union (EU)-wide Covid certificate for easier travel comes into force on Thursday, just in time for Europe's busy summer vacation period, but the more-infectious Delta variant is already threatening to curtail its use. The EU document -- sporting a QR code and available in digital form on smartphones or hard copy -- shows whether the bearer is vaccinated with one of the EU's approved jabs (from BioNTech/Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson), has recovered from an infection, or has a recent negative Covid test. Under an EU law adopted this month, the certificate does away with the need for quarantines or further testing when travelling between the EU's 27 countries or four associated European nations (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein). Twenty EU countries have already started issuing and accepting it, with the others expected to follow suit shortly.