Answer
- The Swiss COVID certificate system was discontinued on 1 September 2023 and the technical infrastructure was decommissioned. It is no longer possible to issue COVID certificates to people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, had the disease and recovered, or tested negative. Also, as of 1 September 2023 it is no longer possible to replace or re-issue existing certificates (e.g. if a certificate is lost).
- The entire certificate system was designed to operate with an absolute minimum of data. No certificates or personal data for the people receiving certificates were held on the central federal systems. Checking of the certificates with the COVID Certificate app was done locally, and no certificate data were transmitted. For transparency reasons, the only information recorded was data on the issuers (e.g. who issued which type of certificate and when) and certain non-personal key indicators (e.g. number of certificates issued). The log data on logins and issuance are subject to statutory storage and deletion requirements and will be deleted in accordance with these requirements as soon as the retention obligation lapses. Eventually, the only data remaining will be statistical, non-personal key indicators.
- Existing certificates in the COVID Certificate app are only stored locally. It will therefore still be possible to display these in a reduced form even after the certificate system has shut down. For more information on displaying certificates in the app, please see the FAQ "What's going to happen to the COVID Certificate app?". All other functions in the app are no longer available.
- The Swiss "COVID Certificate Check" app can no longer be used to check COVID certificates, and can be deleted.
- Both apps were removed from the app stores.
- COVID certificates issued before 1 September 2023 can still be used for travel if need be, as long as they comply with the destination country’s entry regulations and their QR code has technically not yet expired. The QR code for each COVID certificate is technically valid for two years.