Readers’ questions on vaccination, EU certificate and quarantine answered

The vaccine rollout and the fifth wave of the pandemic in Catalonia have led to some doubts when it comes to booking vaccination appointments, the Covid-19 EU digital certificate, quarantining, and more. 

Catalan News asked readers to send in their questions on these topics and has been in touch with the Catalan health department to find out their answers.

We are still awaiting responses to some of them and will update this article as soon as they are answered. 

We address some of these questions in our latest podcast, along with the causes of the fifth wave and the restrictions that are currently in place. 

If you have any questions that you do not find in this article, do get in touch on catalannews@acn.cat, DM on our Twitter or message on our Facebook.

Latest update: July 21, 5:37 pm   

If I get the virus after I have had the first dose of the vaccine, what happens?

You still have to get the second vaccine, but if you are under 65, you have to wait for six months. So, the second dose has to be postponed in this case and you will not be considered to be fully immunized until you receive it.  

If I am fully vaccinated but am a close contact of someone with the virus, do I need to quarantine?

Under the current health department protocols, no, you do not. You will have to quarantine for ten days only if you are not fully inoculated.

What is the deal if I cannot get the vaccination digital certificate because I got the virus less than 6 months ago, but I cannot get a recovery certificate either because I tested positive with an antigen test rather than a PCR? 

So far, nothing can be done about it. You will have to wait until you are allowed to get the jab, six months after your diagnosis. The Catalan health department says that it has reported the issue to the Spanish health ministry several times and that it is for the EU to sort out. Although the authorities issuing the European certificates are the local public health systems, the conditions to get them are set by Brussels. 

I am fully vaccinated with one dose of any jab because I am under 65 and got the virus. But the digital certificate says 1/2, meaning that the vaccination is incomplete. How should I fix it?

This was happening some days and weeks ago, but authorities said they have fixed it and it is now not the case anymore. At the moment, the complete digital certificate will be generated automatically, saying 1 of 1. You may have to wait a couple of days, and if the issue persists, contact your primary care center. 

I do not know how to get the EU digital vaccination certificate after being fully inoculated. How do I get it?

You have to register in La Meva Salut website (Lamevasalut.gencat.cat). It is pretty fast, but you need first to be included in the public health system service by getting your CatSalut public health card. 

I've been vaccinated, but I don't have a Catsalut public health card. How do I get the EU vaccination certificate?

Catalan health authorities are aware of this issue and say it is outside of their powers but that they are "working on it."

I have had one dose abroad. Can I get my second dose in Catalonia?

The health department acknowledges that people "who have been partially vaccinated in other countries face difficulties" and has said that it will look into finding a solution for them. 

How do I get my Covid-19 appointment? 

If registered in the public health system, you will get an SMS with your date and place. Otherwise, you can also book it yourself once you can - any age 16 or over can have the jab, but you may need to wait some weeks until you are permitted to book your second jab. The booking website is: vacunacovid.catsalut.gencat.cat

What if I do not find an appointment close to my home? 

Try again in the coming hours and days, sooner or later more slots will be available. 

Can I choose what kind of vaccine I want? 

No. There are different kinds of jabs allocated to each age group, which will also be influenced by the changing availability of doses. 

Can I have the vaccine if I am pregnant or I am nursing my baby? 

Yes, preferably with those brands using the mRNA technique, such as Pfizer and Moderna. 

Once vaccinated, do I have to follow the restrictions? 

Yes, until we reach herd immunity, it is compulsory to continue to follow the prevention measures established by the authorities in addition to the individual protection measures.

How do I get in touch with the public health system in Catalonia? 

There is an app called La Meva Salut, you can also call the 061 hotline, go to a primary care center (CAP) or send a message to your CAP via lamevasalut.gencat.cat once you have logged into your account. 

However, if you are a close contact of a confirmed case but you do not have symptoms, do not go to the CAP, just quarantine. Only get in touch with the primary care system if you have Covid symptoms. If you have practical questions like the ones in this article, you are advised to use the La Meva Salut app live chat and only call 061 for medical issues.