The group hopes to provide access to vaccination records through the SMART Health Cards framework. People without smartphones can receive a printout of a QR code containing a verifiable vaccine record.
Health officials in the United States are issuing paper record cards to people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine. However, this is not necessarily proof that someone has been immunized, as it is possible to cheat the cards.
Some airports and airlines are testing a Commons Project health passport app, which is a VCI member. Travelers will be able to board certain international flights if they receive a negative test result from their healthcare providers and receive a confirmation code through the CommonPass app. As The New York Times comments, the VCI approach would work similarly for vaccine records.
While being able to verify COVID-19 vaccinations can be critical in our return to normalcy due to clogging and social distance, health passport apps can be a thorny issue. If airlines or employers make it mandatory to provide proof that they have taken the vaccine, people who choose not to do so may be barred from traveling or returning to work.