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Here’s how to use California’s new COVID vaccine verification system

Vaccinated Californians now have a new way to show they are inoculated against the coronavirus without carrying around a flimsy paper card.

The state on Friday launched a new digital tool that lets residents access their COVID-19 vaccine record from the state’s immunization registry.

The tool is available at myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov. People will be asked to enter their name, birthdate, and an email or phone number associated with their vaccine record. They’ll create a 4-digit PIN that can be used to open a link containing their vaccine information. The tool will also include a QR code that residents can screenshot and show to businesses, sports venues and other places, which will be able to scan the code and verify that someone is vaccinated.

“It’s really for the purpose of empowering individuals,” Amy Tong, director of the California Department of Technology, said Friday during a call with reporters.

The tool was built by the state using the open-source SMART Health Card Framework, which is being used by a range of public and private organizations, including UC Health, Walmart and others.

Rick Klau, the state’s chief tech innovation officer said the system is secure because the state digitally signs the contents of the QR code, so when the code is scanned, the signature can be confirmed against the one the state has officially provided. Businesses will be able to see the information — which matches what is on the paper vaccination cards — but they will not be able to save it or copy it.

California State Epidemiologist Erica Pan sidestepped a question during the call about how the tool is different from a vaccine passport, a term Gov. Gavin Newsom has avoided.

The tool, which is free to use, will be optional. There is no app version available.

Check back for more on this developing story.


Source: Orange County Register

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