The crypto vaccination pass for smartphones is in progress
Vaccination cards are already available – but not in crypto. (Photo: Peter Gudella / Shutterstock.com)
No time right now?
American technology companies are working with medical institutions to develop a digital vaccination card for smartphones. So far, cardboard cards have been used.
In the USA, a regulation is imminent that will force participants in international air traffic to present either a current test for Sars-CoV-2 with negative results or a confirmation of a completed infection. It is expected that proof of vaccination could soon be accepted as an alternative.
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The digital vaccination record is a relatively trivial IT problem
In anticipation of such an approach, various technology companies and institutions from the medical sector have come together to form the Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI). The initiative wants to develop a system that saves an encrypted copy of a vaccination certificate on the smartphone. Members of the VCI include Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce and, with the Mayo clinics, one of the largest hospital operators in the USA.
The so-called SMART framework for health cards is to be used. According to the concept, people without smartphones would be given a printout of a QR code. This can then be verified during the access control with suitable reading devices.
Approaches to the necessary system already in use in the USA
So far, the US health authorities have issued physical identification cards with information on vaccination status. Like any physical medium, ID cards of this type can be forged. The VCI’s crypto project could prevent that.
Various airports and airlines are already working with the Common Pass app of the Commons project – also a VCI member. Passengers can use this app to prove that they have a negative corona test. Evidence of vaccination should be provided in a similar way. Possibly even in this same app.
The attentive observer does not miss the fact that governments – like Germany’s – speak out more or less clearly against privileges for vaccinated and tested persons, while private companies and organizations are moving ever further towards a situation in which this would not only be favored, but also very much would be easy to do.
