A coalition of health organizations and technology companies, including Microsoft and Oracle, is working on a project that will verify who received the coronavirus vaccination and prevent others from making false claims.
Called the Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI), the company aims to help people get encrypted digital copies of their immunization records stored in a digital wallet.
VCI says it is working on creating the credentials using the SMART Health Cards specification, which is designed to let people store immunization or lab results in a digital wallet, and could come in the form of a QR code to scan for verification.
However, digital passports and paper credentials are a cause for concern among privacy groups who believe that “ until everyone has access to an effective vaccine, any system that requires a passport for access or service will be unfair, ” as stated by Privacy International.
“The vaccine is a public health exercise and should not be a new discriminator,” the group shared on its website.
The group agrees that such records are “probably necessary,” but is concerned that they could “open a can of worms.”
How much should this documentation be trusted to be reviewed by other providers? And who else wants access? That’s where it gets more complicated. And that is where ambitions lie, ‘says Privacy International.
Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI) aims to help people get encrypted digital copies of their immunization records stored in a digital wallet. The initiative builds on The Commons Project Foundation’s CommonPass (photo)
VCI does not seem to view its project as fair, but as a way to help society return to a pre-pandemic life in a safe way.
The initiative builds on The Commons Project Foundation, which is working on the Common Pass that allows travelers to present vaccination records or coronavirus test results when flying and crossing borders into other countries.
A few airlines, including United Airlines and JetBlue, are currently testing CommonPass.
Paul Meyer, CEO of The Commons Project, said, “ The goal of the Vaccination Credential Initiative is to give people digital access to their vaccination records so they can use tools like CommonPass to safely return to travel, work, school and life . , while protecting their data privacy. ‘
However, digital passports and paper credentials are a cause for concern among privacy groups who believe that ‘until everyone has access to an effective vaccine, any system that requires a passport to access or service will be unfair
“Open standards and interoperability are at the heart of VCI’s efforts and we look forward to supporting the World Health Organization and other global stakeholders in implementing and scaling open global standards for health data interoperability.”
VCI includes big names in technology such as Microsoft, Salesforce, and Oracle, as well as the US nonprofit Mayo Clinic.
Bill Patterson, an executive vice president and general manager at enterprise software company Salesforce, said his company wants to help organizations “ adapt all aspects of the vaccination management lifecycle and integrate closely with the offerings of other coalition members, which will help us all get back. come ‘to public life. ‘
With the digital vaccination passports, it is assumed that airlines, stadiums, workplaces and other institutions will soon be able to require proof of a shot before access is granted
“With a single platform to deliver safe and continuous operations and deepen trust with customers and employees, this coalition will be critical to support public health and wellness.”
The group foresees that digital passports are essential for air travel and wants to make proofing a vaccine ‘as easy as online banking’.
However, individuals without smartphones would receive paper printed with QR codes containing the credentials.
In the United States, where Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are approved for emergency use, vaccinated individuals receive a vaccination card or printout.