Covid: Digital vaccination certificates available in days, says Mark Drakeford

People in Wales will be able to access electronic vaccination status certificates similar to those in England within "the next few days", the first minister has said.

But Mark Drakeford said the system will not be available via a mobile phone app in Wales, as it is in England.

Instead people will have to access the portal through a website.

Currently, people in Wales can request a certificate from their local health board to prove their vaccine status.

Hefin David, Labour MS for Caerphilly, told the Senedd that a constituent was attending an event where they needed proof of having two doses of a vaccine, sometimes referred to as vaccine passports.

"Having raised it with the health board they said you can apply for a certificate in writing and or by phone and you can receive a certificate, but in England you can receive the vaccination [certification] through the app," he said.

"It's her feeling that it's archaic and slow compared to the process in England."

The first minister rejected that criticism, saying that 10,000 people had already received vaccine certificates in Wales.

"But within the next few days we do anticipate it will be possible for Welsh citizens to use the same solution [as people in England], albeit not via the app but via a website portal."

But Mr Drakeford said the portal would not be available in the Welsh language when it launches.

Asked about the introduction of the system in Wales, during First Minister's Questions, he said that "despite repeated requests to the UK government to respect the law here in Wales, they tell us they won't be able to do that for several more months."