Tech companies developing Covid-19 vaccine “passports”

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – As proof of COVID-19 vaccination may eventually be required for traveling abroad or for entering many public spaces at home, technology groups are developing smartphone systems for users to upload their vaccine certificate and show them where needed, CNN Business reports.

Established by the Commons Project and the World Economic Forum, the Common Trust Network has developed an app called the CommonPass, which allows people to upload COVID-19 test results and proof of vaccination.

The Network has partnered with major airlines including Cathay Pacific, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines, United Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic and with hundreds of health systems across the US, CNN Business said.

Large tech companies have also developed such systems: IBM has created an app called Digital Health Pass that allows companies and venues to specify which tests or vaccine records they require for entry, CNN Business reports. Numerous state governments of countries worldwide have developed their own apps as well, CNN Business reports.

Speaking to CNN Business about these developments, Brian Behlendorf, executive director of the Linux Foundation said: “You should be able to say: I’ve got a vaccine certificate on my phone that I got when I was vaccinated in one country, with a whole set of its own kind of health management practices… that I use to get on a plane to an entirely different country and then I presented in that new country a vaccination credential so I could go to that concert that was happening indoors for which attendance was limited to those who have demonstrated that they’ve had the vaccine.” The Linux Foundation has partnered with IBM and CommonPass on developing universal standards for vaccine credential apps.

Latest Worthy News