The group hopes to provide access to vaccination records through the structure of SMART Health Cards. People without smartphones can receive a printout of a QR code that contains a verifiable vaccine record.
Health officials in the U.S. are issuing paper registration cards to people who received the COVID-19 vaccine. However, this is not necessarily proof that someone has been immunized, as it is possible to fake these cards.
Some airports and airlines are testing a Commons Project health passport application, which is a member of the VCI. Travelers will be able to board certain international flights if they have a negative test result from their healthcare provider and receive a confirmation code through the CommonPass app. Like The New York Times notes, the VCI approach would work similarly for vaccine registries.
While being able to check COVID-19 vaccinations can be critical to our return to normal blocking and social detachment, health passport applications can be a thorny problem. If airlines or employers make proof of vaccination mandatory, people who choose not to do so may be prevented from traveling or returning to work.