Coronavirus: Information about the Covid Certificate

The Department of Health provides information about the status of the various different Covid Certificates and further steps in the Canton of Basel-Stadt. People who have recovered have been able to claim their certificate since yesterday, Monday, 14 June 2021. People who have been fully vaccinated will receive an SMS to have their certificate issued from this coming Monday, 21 June 2021. Delivery of certificates for people who have been tested is planned to take place from the end of June 2021.

Covid Certificate for people who have recovered

Since yesterday, Monday, 14 June 2021, people who have already had and recovered from Covid-19 can use the form from the Federal Office of Public Health to apply for a Covid Certificate. Certificates can be issued for people who have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 with a PCR test and who have since been told they can stop isolating. Affected individuals can access the application form via the following link https://covidcertificate-form.admin.ch/. People who have recovered and are interested in obtaining the certificate must apply for it independently. These certificates are not issued automatically.

The certificate will be sent by post after completing this form. Processing may take some time during the initial phase. Unfortunately, it is not possible to send certificates in advance or by email. People who do not have internet access can register by calling the cantonal coronavirus infoline (tel. 0800 463 666, Mon-Sun 8:00-17:00).

Certificates for people who are currently ill or who become infected with Covid-19 in future will be issued directly from Contact Tracing Basel when the isolation period ends. Certificates are currently valid for 6 months after the date of the positive PCR test.

Covid Certificates cannot be issued for people who have recovered and who have a positive rapid antigen test result. It is recommended that these individuals receive one single vaccination dose against Covid-19 at least four weeks after the illness and then apply for a certificate.

Covid Certificate for people who have tested negative

For people who have been tested (people with a negative test result), the plan is to have certificates delivered by the laboratory itself following a negative PCR test result or by the test centre following a rapid antigen test result, from the end of June. Covid Certificates are not issued for self-tests or antibody tests. However, following a positive antibody test, individuals only require one vaccination dose against Covid-19 to apply for a certificate. More information is continually available: (Covid Certificate (admin.ch)) or Information on the Coronavirus (Covid-19) - Covid Certificate (bs.ch)

Covid Certificate for people who have been fully vaccinated

All individuals who have been fully vaccinated and who gave a validated mobile telephone number at registration or vaccination will receive an SMS from this coming Monday, 21 June 2021. The SMS contains a link to an online form that must be filled in to apply for a Covid Certificate. No detailed information is available about when the SMS messages will be sent or how long it will take to issue to certificates.

Certain individuals for whom no validated mobile telephone number has been recorded in the system (e.g. also including staff who have been vaccinated in hospitals and nursing homes) will receive a letter with a link to the online form to apply for the Covid Certificate. The Covid Certificate can then be downloaded as a PDF by following a protected download link. People who do not have internet access can register with the vaccination centre by telephone (tel. 0800 555 655, Mon-Sun 8:00-17:00).

On a trial basis starting from the second half of the week, the first Covid Certificates will be issued on site in the Basel-Stadt coronavirus vaccination centre when somebody receives their second vaccination. For reasons relating to the IT system, these people will also receive an SMS again after 21 June 2021.

People vaccinated after 21 June 2021 will receive the certificate digitally as a PDF or, if required, can have it issued at the vaccination centre itself.

Scope of the certificate

The Federal Council will decide on the scope of the Covid Certificate. The intention is to use Covid Certificates at major events planned in Switzerland in July 2021. The certificate will also be compatible with the EU certificate from the beginning of July 2021. The certificate will not be used in areas of everyday life such as public transport, shops or private/religious events.

With regard to any planned foreign holidays, please note that the Covid Certificate is intended for travel and should be EU-compatible from the beginning of July, but does not guarantee entry into other countries. As the regulations differ from country to country and can change at short notice, people wishing to travel are requested to find out about the exact travelling conditions themselves from the Federal Office of Public Health (Travel Abroad and Global Statistics (admin.ch)), from the authorities of the destination country or from the airline.

Further information will continue to be published by the Federal Office of Public Health (Covid Certificate (admin.ch)) and on the cantonal website Information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Covid Certificate (bs.ch)