The Department of Public Health in California has started the rollout of digital vaccine verification. Though it is not a vaccine passport, it is quite close to it. The State’s Department of Public Health has launched a website that will allow users to obtain digital copies of their COVID19 vaccination records if they fill up their identity credentials. The website is called Digital COVID19 Vaccine Record Portal. The chief information officer of the state, Amy Tong has said that the portal will be used as a digital backup to the paper cards that people in the US receive when they are vaccinated for COVID19 from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Amy tong has said that people want to have digital copies of the vaccination records that they receive from the CDC; it is a great opportunity for them. It will help people living in California to save and view their own vaccine records whenever they want to. If people do not want to carry the paper card from the CDC, they can take a screenshot of their digital record from the website.
California Governor, Gavin Newsom has said that it is not a vaccine passport that businesses can use to differentiate people who are not immunized. The state of California has said that businesses that are scheduled to host large mass indoor gatherings such as large concerts or sports events need to verify that all participants or entrants either are in possession of negative COVID19 test reports or fully vaccinated. There is no national vaccine passport available to people as of now. However, the officials from the Biden government as well have said that there are no plans for such thing as of now. The officials from the US government have said that CDC cards will be used as a means for people to keep a record of their vaccine doses. It cannot be used to verify if a person is vaccinated or not. They have clarified the purpose of the CDC card for much of the country.
Some of the states in the US such as Texas, Florida, Arizona have passed executive orders that no businesses can ask for a CDC card to verify if a person has been immunized or not. As per the report, New York is the first state that has introduced an official app that is known as Excelsior Pass. Experts have informed that the app is linked to the state’s immunization database. Health officials from New York have said that people who have been vaccinated can use this app to confirm their vaccination status to enter into large venues. Experts have said that the app efficiently works as a vaccine passport. On the other hand, the new portal from California works as a website, not as an app. California’s Chief technology officer, Rick Klau has said that the app from New York and the web portal from California are essentially the same. He has said that the new digital portal from California is quite similar in concept to what New York has unveiled with Excelsior Pass. Rick Klau has said that in the case of California’s digital portal it is an opportunity for people to get a digital record of their vaccination status.
Leave a Reply