Digital vaccine cards a convenient way to prove status as mandates increase
Vaccinated California residents can now access a digital record of their COVID-19 vaccination status online. The digital receipt has all the same information as a printed CDC vaccine card, including the recipients date of birth, name, day of vaccination and type of vaccine received.
The digital copy also includes a scannable QR code that provides confirmation of vaccination and that it is an official California state record.
California residents interested in obtaining a COVID-19 digital vaccine can complete the entire process online by simply inserting their name, date of birth and e-mail or phone number that is associated with their physical COVID-19 vaccination record.
A four-digit PIN will then be provided, and those interested in obtaining a digital record will have 24 hours to access a link where they can enter the PIN number.
Obtaining a digital record will not be required by the state but having one could prove beneficial as vaccine mandates become more commonplace.
In addition to being a helpful way for vaccinated individuals to keep track of their paperwork, the digital copies should be beneficial to companies and organizations as well.
Business can download an application developed by The Commons Project Foundation called the SMART Health Card Verifier, which will allow them to quickly scan and verify the QR codes on a digital vaccination report.
The free-to-download application will prove the validity of the vaccination report and includes all pertinent information about the vaccinated individual. The app does not share or store any of the personal information from the report after the initial briefing.
Dr. Christopher Longhurst, chief information officer at UC San Diego Health said the goal of the SMART Health Verifier is to help both businesses and individuals obtain a safer and easier way to prove and certify vaccination status.
“SMART Health Cards were developed by a coalition of private and public stakeholders with the goal of empowering individuals with access to a trustworthy and verifiable copy of their vaccination records in digital or paper form,” Dr. Longhurst said. “The cards only contain the information required to verify your vaccination or test status, and the choice of how and when to share that information is totally up to the individual.”
It remains to be seen if other states will follow suit with their own digital vaccine records, but, in the meantime, vaccinated individuals can still use paper vaccination cards to prove their status.
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