Austria to be pioneer in "green pass" in EU: minister

Austria will be a pioneer in the European Union (EU) in introducing a digital "green pass" to enable safe travel during the coronavirus pandemic, said Health Minister Rudolf Anschober on Friday, reported Xinhua.

The minister confirmed to journalists that two thirds of Austrians should have received at least the first shot of vaccine against COVID-19 by the beginning of July.

The "green pass" would cover test results and the recovered status of those who have survived COVID-19 by the end of April, and the data from the electronic vaccination certificate should then be added in June, said Anschober.

He called on other EU member states to develop and implement something similar in a timely manner, and anchor a mutual recognition.

Austria reported 3,895 new coronavirus cases on Friday, the highest daily count this year. The death toll rose by 22 to 9,200. A total of 2,151 people are receiving hospital treatment, 463 of them in intensive care, according to the Interior Ministry.

The Alpine country has had a total of 530,288 infection cases so far, data showed.