Those who get vaccinated against Covid-19 at Dodger Stadiumreceive a CDC card with handwritten details about when they were given the vaccine and what type it was.
The CDC card is a tradition that dates back to the 1880s, when these cards were used to allow students to return to schoolduring a smallpox epidemic.
Now these cards are digital.
LA County patients can sign up to receive a link containing the card information in digital format.
It also includes a link to add all of this data to Apple Wallet , a built-in iPhone app commonly used to store items like event tickets and airplane boarding passes. It can also be added to Google Wallet, as well as downloaded as a PDF file.
The card you're providing in Los Angeles is one of the first examples in the United States of a digital Covid-19 vaccine receipt, where patients can store information about their vaccination status on their phones and quickly provide it to anyone who might request it, like an airline or a school or a stadium hosting a concert.
There is currently no international or national coordination on best practices for implementing vaccines, so companies organizing large events do not have the authority to state what is legal and what is ethical when choosing their policies and technology .
The FDA has not approved any company to offer real-time vaccination results. A World Health Organization committee on the subject met this week but has not yet released its results.
Many different companies are trying to create systems that include additional security and features related to the vaccination certificate.
As for airlines, some of them are looking for a more secure verification system, as there have been several incidents where passengers presented fake certificates to be able to fly.
This week, Emirates Airlines said it would use an app developed by IATA called Travel Passto verify Covid-19 tests before takeoff from Dubai. IATA hopes the system will reduce long lines at airports. Careen says the plan is to extend Travel Pass to vaccines as soon as possible.
Medical privacy is another issue that is of concern to the public. Some argue that it makes no sense for a security guard or administrator to have access to medical information, such as what vaccine or test a person has received and where it was taken. Instead, the system should be as simple as scanning a barcode and providing a quick confirmation.
Leading companies in the world, including Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, Cerner, Epic and Cigna, are collaborating to create more than just a vaccine receipt, creating a world where medical records can be acquired by providers and stored on patients' phones.
The variety of approaches means that a single system is unlikely to emerge in the US. Instead, people will likely need multiple forms of proof on their phone – perhaps a passport for an airline, a wallet pass for school, and a different app to watch a game.
