Vaccination against COVID-19 has already started in several countries around the world and we have already seen some applications that allow users to prove that they have had the vaccine only with their iPhones. Apple is now tightening the App Store’s rules to ensure that apps that offer proof of vaccination are sent only by health officials.
According to a statement released to developers on Tuesday, Apple is seeing an increase in the number of applications that generate health passes with proof of vaccination, which may be required to enter buildings. To ensure that people do not falsify this information, the company will require that these applications be submitted to the App Store by health authorities.
With the recent launch of COVID-19 vaccines, we have seen an increase in applications that generate health passes used to enter buildings and access in-person services based on test and vaccination records. To ensure that these applications handle sensitive data responsibly and provide reliable functionality, they must be submitted by developers working with entities recognized by public health authorities, such as test kit manufacturers, laboratories or healthcare providers.
As with other applications related to COVID-19, we also accept applications submitted directly by government, medical and other accredited institutions.
As mentioned by Apple, the company already required applications related to COVID-19 to be sent to the App Store by governments and public health officials in an attempt to prevent misleading information. Apple also rejects applications that use COVID-19 themes for entertainment or games.
Last year, Los Angeles County developed a new app in partnership with startup Healthvana that allows its residents to add a COVID-19 vaccination voucher to the Apple Wallet app, so it was only a matter of time before other institutions did the same.
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