The nation’s first “vaccine passport” is coming to the Big Apple.
The program, called the Excelsior Pass, is an application that will allow New Yorkers to demonstrate their vaccination status or the recent history of a negative COVID-19 test to gain access to events and business, Governor Cuomo said in a statement. press release on Friday.
“Like a boarding pass from a mobile airline, individuals will be able to either print their license or store it on their smartphones using the Excelsior Pass Wallet app,” the press release said.
“Each Pass will have a secure QR code, which participating companies and locations can scan using an accompanying application to verify proof of COVID-19 negative test results or proof of vaccination. A person’s data is kept secure and confidential at all times. ”
The app will not display any health information when scanned – it will only display a green tick if the person has been vaccinated or tested negative or a red “x” if they have not.
Major venues, such as Madison Square Garden and Times Union Center in Albany, will begin using the app next week, and on April 2, Excelsior Pass will expand to “smaller venues for art, entertainment and events,” the office said. Cuomo.
The app, which was released on Friday, is already working to prove vaccination status or negative test results and can be used to access wedding receptions, which now require negative testing from attendees and other events beyond the meeting limit. social.
“New Yorkers have proven they can follow public health instructions to remove COVID, and the innovative Excelsior Pass is another tool in our new toolbox to fight the virus, while allowing more sectors of the economy to reopen safely.” and keep personal information safe, ”Cuomo said in a statement.
“The question of ‘public health or the economy’ has always been a false choice – the answer must be both. As more New Yorkers get vaccinated every day and as key public health indicators continue to steadily reach the lowest rates in recent months, the first national Excelsior Pass announces the next step in our careful reopening, based on on science. ”
The application, launched after two pilot demonstrations in recent weeks, will use blockchain technology and encryption to ensure that health information is stored securely.
To register, New Yorkers can register by downloading the app and entering personal information to verify their identity. The application will then extract data from the state’s vaccine registry and a number of pre-approved COVID-19 test companies.