Portugal is to join four other European countries in piloting a European Vaccination Card from September.
According to Vaccinestoday.eu, the card “aims to empower individuals by consolidating all their vaccination data in one easily accessible location”.
It is the brainchild of the EUVABECO project, of which Portugal is a partner alongside Sweden, France, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Luxembourg and Poland. But, for the purposes of the pilot, only Latvia, Greece, Belgium, Germany and Portugal are involved.
Introducing the reasons for the project, Vaccinestoday says: “As Europe transitions from emergency measures to long-term COVID-19 management, there is a critical opportunity to strengthen resilience and increase preparedness for future health threats”.
Thus, the European Vaccination Card (EVC), aims to “empower individuals by consolidating all their vaccination data in one easily accessible location. It will be available in various formats, including printed cards, mailed copies, and digital versions for smartphones.
The EVC will revolutionise vaccination management and ensure a healthier future for all Europeans, says the article. “This citizen-centred method of storing and sharing data, rather than relying solely on public health systems, was made possible by the Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN).
“Developed during the COVID-19 pandemic for the EU Digital COVID Certificate, the GDHCN is now managed by the World Health Organization, enabling the authenticity of digital vaccination records to be ensured.
“EUVABECO’s pilot projects aim to pave the way for other countries by harmonising vaccine terminology, developing a common syntax, ensuring adaptability across different healthcare settings, and refining EVC implementation plans.
“These plans will be publicly released in 2026, extending the EVC system beyond the pilot phases and enabling broad adoption across all EU Member States.
“In addition to the EVC, EUVABECO is creating plans for several other innovative tools: a clinical decision system that provides vaccination recommendations, a screening tool to identify and invite vulnerable populations, an electronic Product Information Leaflet (e-PIL) to enable the transfer of vaccines across countries without having to repackage them, and a modeling and forecasting tool to assess the impact of public health interventions.
“By leveraging the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and fostering innovation in vaccination management, Europe is taking crucial steps toward a more resilient and health-secure future.
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