A doctor delivers the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus to an 84-year-old man in Berlin, Germany, April 13, 2021. REUT

German pharmacies stop issuing COVID vaccine passes after security breach

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2021-07-22 18:00:14

A doctor delivers the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus to an 84-year-old man in Berlin, Germany, April 13, 2021. REUTERS/Alessia Cocca

BERLIN, July 22 (Reuters) - German pharmacies have stopped issuing digital COVID-19 vaccination certificates after hackers created passes from fake outlets, the industry association said on Thursday, the latest blow to the inoculation drive.

Germans who have been fully vaccinated are entitled to a certificate which allows them more freedoms, especially to travel. Pharmacies and vaccination centres issue them.

The German Pharmacists' Association (DAV) said hackers had managed to produce two vaccination certificates by accessing the portal and making up pharmacy owner identities. DAV were alerted to the fact by the Handelsblatt newspaper.

"The DAV, in consultation with the Health Ministry, stopped issuing certificates on Wednesday to investigate further," said the association in a statement, adding it had so far found no other indication of unauthorised access to the portal.