Portugal is to join four other European countries in piloting a European Vaccination Card from September.

According to Vaccinestoday, 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.