People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19  can download a vaccine certificate to ease travel and allow them to attend "certain activities", Robert Abela has said.

The prime minister said the certificates will be available on the website certifikatvaccin.gov.mt for Maltese ID card holders and can be generated 14 days from the date a person is fully vaccinated. 

The certificate will also allow residents at homes for the elderly to have private visits with fully vaccinated relatives, he said during a news conference with health minister Chris Fearne.

Anyone travelling to Malta must produce a vaccine certificate or a negative PCR test before boarding, or pay €120 to get a COVID-19 test on arrival at the airport.

Robert Abela said 210,000 people are now fully vaccinated and unemployment had reached pre-COVID levels.

Watch the news conference live below

"In May, we are moving towards normality," he said, recalling his pledge that Malta would return to 'business as usual' by May. "The pandemic is not over but the signs in Malta are good," he said.

When the EU makes its wider Digital Green Certificate available, which covers three different types of certificates - a vaccination certificate and a test certificate, certificate of recovery - Malta will join that system, Abela said.

He said Malta will announce "in the coming days" bilateral agreements on recognising vaccine certificates of other countries. 

Details of events that will be allowed in July and August, will also be announced soon, he said.

How do I access the certificate?

Health Minister Chris Fearne explained that people can register for the vaccine certificate in two ways: either with their E-ID and last dose date or ID number, ID card, ID card document number and last dose date. 

He warned that like all new systems, there will be initial problems and anyone encountering issues should contact 145.

The website was due to be opened officially on Tuesday, but some people have already reported being able to access their certificate.

The certificate can either be printed or it can be saved as a digital copy. QR codes are used in both cases. 

Vaccine cards, which are handed to people who have been given a dose, are not official documents and do not replace the certificate.

Those who for some reason cannot be vaccinated will be analysed on a case by case basis by the superintendent of public health, to see if they can benefit from the benefits of the certificates. They can write to fightagainstcovid@gov.mt

Everyone over the age of 16 is eligible for the vaccine in Malta, and children aged over 12 will be invited for vaccines from late next month. 

Fearne said parents who want to sign up early for the vaccine for their children can email kidscovid@gov.mt 

Abela pointed out that more measures will be eased soon and revealed that 75,000 government vouchers have already been downloaded for use in restaurants and shops next week.

Robert Abela said Malta is returning to normality. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Tuesday will also see language schools reopening for in-class lectures, the lifting of mask-wearing restrictions on beaches and pools and the go-ahead for seated weddings with 100 people inside and 300 outdoors.

The tourist sector, although never officially closed this year, was severely limited by COVID-19 restrictions which are now being gradually eased. 

The next step in the easing of restrictions will follow on June 7 when bars, clubs, cinemas and theatres will reopen, restaurants will be able to allow six people at table (instead of the current four), contact sports will resume and groups of six will be permitted in public (up from four). 

Abela said that those localities, who celebrate feasts on June 6, will be allowed to open their kazini a day early.