Vaccine and mask mandates are being dropped precipitously across the United States, as the campaigning for this fall’s midterm elections heats up.
Also, the number of deaths and the number of COVID cases is dropping rapidly.
Some might say the U.S. is returning to normalcy.
But a new report in Forbes suggests that new norm will include digital vaccine passports.
To be used to travel, to access venues and much more.
A National Vaccine Pass Has Quietly Rolled Out – And Red States Are Getting On Board https://t.co/jq7g3zMJws pic.twitter.com/Api5mVAcmJ
— Forbes (@Forbes) February 24, 2022
“A paper CDC vaccination card is not cutting it,” said the report.
“While the United States government has not issued a federal digital vaccine pass, a national standard has nevertheless emerged. To date, 21 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico offer accessibility to the SMART Health Card, a verifiable digital proof of vaccination developed through the Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI), a global coalition of public and private stakeholders including Microsoft, Salesforce, Oracle, the Mayo Clinic and other health and tech heavyweights,” the report explained.
Four more states are lining up their requirements now.
Brian Anderson, of VCI, said in the report, “We’ve seen a notable uptick in states that have officially launched public portals where individuals can get verifiable vaccination credentials in the form of SMART Health Cards with a QR code.”
The report said, “More than 200 million Americans can now download, print or store their vaccination records as a QR code. When the QR code is pulled up, only the individual’s name, date of birth and vaccination information is visible. No other medical information or personal data is shared.”
The report charged that the product was a “huge plus.”
“Many indoor cultural attractions and performance venues in the U.S. require proof of vaccination,” it said.
And Gus Warren, chief of a health verification app used by various venues, said, “The SMART Health Card is such an important development and the Vaccine Credential Initiative has been phenomenal in getting this out there.”
Every Canadian province is using the system, as are “Aruba, the Cayman Islands, Singapore and Japan.” Also Kenya and Rwanda.
States are offering their own portals for SMART cards, or hiring companies to do that for them.
“This isn’t a passport,” South Carolina’s director of immunizations told Politico. “This is essentially a COVID card that people get at their convenience because it’s their record.”
The credentials offer confirmation of vaccinations at Walmart, Sam’s Club, CVS, Duane Reade, Walgreens, Costco, Kroger, Rite-Aid or any of the dozens of other companies, the report said.
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