New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a “vaccine passport” that New Yorkers can use to prove Covid-19’s vaccination or negative test history.
The program, called “Excelsior Pass”, is a non-mandatory application.
“Similar to a boarding pass from a mobile airline, individuals will be able to print their card or store it on their smartphones using the Excelsior Pass Wallet app,” the state press release said.
“Each Pass will have a secure QR code, which participating companies and locations can scan using a complementary application to verify proof of negative results from the COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination. An individual’s data is kept safe and confidential at all times. “
No health information will be revealed when scanned. A green check mark or red “X” will be the only identifiers.
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Madison Square Garden and the Times Union Center in Albany are among the places that will start using the app next week. On April 2, the Excelsior Pass will be expanded to “smaller venues for arts, entertainment and events.
“New Yorkers have proven that they can follow public health guidelines to beat COVID, and the innovative Excelsior Pass is another tool in our new toolbox to fight the virus, allowing more sectors of the economy to reopen safely and maintain secure personal information, ”Cuomo said in a statement.
“The question of ‘public health or economics’ has always been a false choice – the answer must be both. As more New Yorkers are vaccinated each day and major public health measures continue to regularly reach their lowest rates in months, the nation’s first Excelsior Pass heralds the next step in our careful, science-based reopening. “
The application uses blockchain technology and encryption to ensure security and immutability.
New York residents can register by downloading the application and entering personal information to verify their identity. The app will extract data from the state’s vaccine registry and several Covid-19 pre-approved testing companies.