Can I get my second vaccine in Germany?

[gemloving]

I had received my first dose at the end of May and we are currently in Germany with my parents and my childhood GP confirmed that we can have our second jabs at their practice. We are staying here for another 5 weeks.

Will this be recognised in the UK? It would be great as we'd have double vaxxed status returning.

I think currently the UK only recognises vaccines given under the NHS vaccination scheme.
However things are changing constantly, so maybe it's fine, but maybe it's not. Don't think anyone here can give a definite answer.

You won't have double vaxxed status when returning, as the UK only recognises vaccines given in the UK. My double vaxxed brother is arriving from Germany in the UK this week & has to quaratine at home for 10 days... so it's a risk - you may put yourself into a worse position from a "freedoms" point of view by not having both vaccines done in the UK, but things may change, & you may not..

I think the problem will be getting it entered on your NHS app vaccine record.
DD1 had her 1st in Edinburgh, so still NHS but NHS Scotland and having moved home to London subsequently it still hasn't appeared on her app as they run separate administrative systems. She had her 2nd only yesterday here in England and like magic, there is was on her app this morning.

@Wilkolampshade

I think the problem will be getting it entered on your NHS app vaccine record. DD1 had her 1st in Edinburgh, so still NHS but NHS Scotland and having moved home to London subsequently it still hasn't appeared on her app as they run separate administrative systems. She had her 2nd only yesterday here in England and like magic, there is was on her app this morning.

My dad got vaccinated in Wales through work (doctor), but has been unable to get this to show up on his NHS record in England, where he lives...

Sounds like a nightmare really given that the vaccines are from the same pharma company. Here you actually get a vaccination book. I've had mine since birth and can see every single vaccine I've had since 1990 and it's still being used.

@DistrictCommissioner this makes no sense regarding your brother. So the UK Pfizer is considered recognised but the Germany Pfizer vaccine isn't. The standards are the same.

I know, it's absolutely crackers. He's fuming about it. But it is definitely the rule - this is from the gov.uk website

from 19 July, arrivals who have been fully vaccinated with an NHS administered vaccine in the UK (plus 14 days), or are on a formally approved UK vaccine clinical trial, returning to England from amber list countries will no longer need to quarantine – passengers will need to provide proof of their vaccination status to carriers in advance of travel

www.gov.uk/government/news/quarantine-free-travel-to-resume-on-19-july-for-fully-vaccinated-passengers-returning-from-amber-list-countries

@DistrictCommissioner ugh!!!! Looks like I'll be paying for a day 5 test to release although I'm hoping Germany will be on the green list by then. It's all bonkers though!

One of my colleagues just had the second dose whilst in Poland, called her GP beforehand and was reassured that her record would be amended manually to capture the update. She’s not due to travel back for another couple of weeks or more so she can’t tell me the experience at the border- but she feels pretty confident that it’ll show up on her NhS app

the problem will be getting it entered on your NHS app vaccine record.

One of my colleagues just had the second dose whilst in Poland, called her GP beforehand and was reassured that her record would be amended manually to capture the update. She’s not due to travel back for another couple of weeks or more so she can’t tell me the experience at the border- but she feels pretty confident that it’ll show up on her NhS app

Sigh. My GP surgery manually added my overseas vaccination to my records, but they insisted there was no way it could be added to the NHS app.

NHS helpline insisted that it could only be added by my GP surgery. And round and round in circles I went... Got fed up in the ennd and had a 3rd vaccination.

It won’t technically be recognised for travel I don’t think (if they bother to read in detail at airport etc)

@Oaktree55 we drove to Germany and will be driving back. At Folkestone, they wanted to see that we had covid tests and in big letters it said: NON NHS ONLY which we knew before, so we got them done at the local pharmacy. I might just get it, I luckily has no side effects when I had my first x

@FlowerArranger

the problem will be getting it entered on your NHS app vaccine record.

One of my colleagues just had the second dose whilst in Poland, called her GP beforehand and was reassured that her record would be amended manually to capture the update. She’s not due to travel back for another couple of weeks or more so she can’t tell me the experience at the border- but she feels pretty confident that it’ll show up on her NhS app

Sigh. My GP surgery manually added my overseas vaccination to my records, but they insisted there was no way it could be added to the NHS app.

NHS helpline insisted that it could only be added by my GP surgery. And round and round in circles I went... Got fed up in the ennd and had a 3rd vaccination.

you got a third vaccine? you did not need and were not entitled to a third vaccine.

@mygood I personally disagree with what you just said. A vaccine from the same manufacturer should be internationally recognised like any other vaccine but for some reason, the COVID vaccines aren't in the UK. Therefore, you should be entitled to a third vaccine provided by the NHS to be considered fully vaccinated given that they disregard international vaccination standards.

[quote gemloving]@mygood I personally disagree with what you just said. A vaccine from the same manufacturer should be internationally recognised like any other vaccine but for some reason, the COVID vaccines aren't in the UK. Therefore, you should be entitled to a third vaccine provided by the NHS to be considered fully vaccinated given that they disregard international vaccination standards. [/quote]
The Covid Vaccines are recognised in the UK. The problem is that NHS England only have a record of the vaccines they administered. They do not have access to other countries health records. Therefore for the purposes of travelling they cannot provide you with proof that they vaccinated you. Because they didnt.
You should not have had a third vaccine just because you wished to get a travel pass.

@DistrictCommissioner

You won't have double vaxxed status when returning, as the UK only recognises vaccines given in the UK. My double vaxxed brother is arriving from Germany in the UK this week & has to quaratine at home for 10 days... so it's a risk - you may put yourself into a worse position from a "freedoms" point of view by not having both vaccines done in the UK, but things may change, & you may not..

Your brother can download the EU Covid Pass and get proof from Germany that he was vaccinated in Germany? The UK accept the EU Covid Pass

@mygood, really? The gov.uk website just says NHS vaccinated individuals?

The UK accept the EU Covid Pass

They really don’t. There are thousands of us in amber countries who are not able to skip quarantine if presenting our EU Covid Pass upon entry to the UK. Right now they only accept NHS certificates.

OP, what does your GP in the UK say? I’d be tempted to get it if they can guarantee you’ll have it added to your NHS record when you get back. Worst case scenario you still need to quarantine when going back, but you’d have to do that anyway with only 1 jab.

I’m also in Germany and I’m really hoping it goes green soon because of how low the rates are. Or perhaps someone in the UK starts using their brains and accepting foreign vaccination certificates! They come with QR codes so if they scanned those, they could immediately see if the record is valid or not.

@cherin

One of my colleagues just had the second dose whilst in Poland, called her GP beforehand and was reassured that her record would be amended manually to capture the update. She’s not due to travel back for another couple of weeks or more so she can’t tell me the experience at the border- but she feels pretty confident that it’ll show up on her NhS app

A GP can amend her gp record with free text but it won’t up date the app. The free text will simply record that the patient told them they had a vaccination. They do this to stop call and recall actions for unvaccinated.

He also can’t validate the polish record or any other record at the moment. The government is working with other governments to recognise overseas certificates and data. This can then up placed into a central system. GPs don’t have access to it.

But we aren’t there yet and not all overseas jabs will be accepted anyway.

@LemonTT you sound like you have real knowledge here..do you work in the field? If so, can I ask please, should my DD whose 1st jab was in Scotland, 2nd in England, get a letter from her GP to say she's been double jabbed as only her English one shows up on her app atm? ..

She contacted her GP when registering with them down here and they say they'll update her records and it's pending, but we don't know really what that means. Looks like there will be tens of thousands of returning students from Wales and Scotland for whom this is an issue.

Here you actually get a vaccination book. I've had mine since birth and can see every single vaccine I've had since 1990 and it's still being used

I don't know when they introduced them, but my ds (now 18) has a red medical book that he was given at birth and his vaccinations are recorded there. The only one that wasn't was his Meningitis/tetanus booster that you get around 15, but he got a card at school to say it had been done, and it's in there. Once he's had both covid jabs I'll put that card in there too.

So not a vaccine book as such but everyone under the age of 19 (and older) should have one.

Doesn't help with the British government not accepting the EU covid passport though. Mind you, Germany doesn't accept the NHS one yet.

Just as an update, it looks as though that as of august, they'll accept vaccinated persons from the US and the EU. I decided to get the jab out here and have on two separate apps the confirmation that as of 04/08/21 I will have fully vaxxed status and probably won't have to quarantine which is great news!