How to show evidence of your Covid vaccine on your phone

Remember to bring your cell phone, keys, wallet, mask, and some form of Covid-19 vaccine record before you leave home.

Your phone can already replace most of your wallet: your subway pass, credit card, plane ticket, hotel key and even your driver's license right away. It's also a great place to keep records of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Digital vaccine options vary from state to state. Because national vaccine passports are not widespread in the United States, states such as California and New York are putting things in their hands. However, most facilities are likely to accept either the original CDC vaccine card or a digital scan or photo, so you probably don't need to use the state-provided passport app. For example, the Washington State Corporate Guidance states that "original, copy, or photo on mobile devices is acceptable."

In other words, get your vaccine card on your phone before you go out to the world. Then check to see if there are other passport apps that will allow you to quickly get into your favorite spots. Here is my quick guide:

Scan your digital copy.

Apple'NS

The iOS 15 software update scheduled for this fall includes an upgraded Health app that allows users to save verifiable immune records (if available). Google recently announced support for digital vaccine cards for Android users, but government agencies or healthcare providers need to implement this technology.

Until they become more widely available, your best bet is to make a smartphone-based digital copy of your CDC vaccine card. Conversely, all you need is a clear image. You do not need to enter your personal data on third-party websites. (Details are below.)

Sure, unless you get lost in thousands of pet and food photos, you can take a photo and hope to create it when the door checker asks for it. There is a way to scan it and make it available immediately. It doesn't keep the people behind you waiting. Both iOS and Android devices have a built-in app that scans documents using your phone's camera.

For iPhone: Create a new note, tap the camera icon,[ドキュメントのスキャン]Choose. Name the memo "Covid-19 Vaccine Card" for easy searching. Tap the three dots in the right corner to lock the note and display it at the top of the screen.

On iPhone, you can digitize your vaccine card using the Notes app's built-in scanner.

Photo:
Nicole Nguyen / Wall Street Journal

For Android phones: Open Google Drive and[追加],[スキャン]Tap in that order. When you take a photo of your document, Google Drive will automatically crop the area and save the scan as a PDF file. For easy access, tap the three dots in the upper left corner of the image to add it to your starred document, download it, and access it offline.

Check if you have a passport in your state.

Government-provided records provide an additional layer of verification, and schools, employers, and venues may begin to request them. Your record must be available in the state where you received your vaccine. Not all states offer verified digital records, but here are some of the major apps:

MyIR Mobile is an app that provides official digital immunological records for Arizona, DC, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Dakota, Washington and West Virginia.

New Yorkers can enroll in the Excelsior Pass as long as they are fully vaccinated in New York State and 15 days have passed since the last shot. You will need your name, date of birth, zip code, and phone number to verify your identity.

New Yorkers can register for the state's official Excelsior Pass 15 days after the final shot.

Photo:
New York Governor's Office

The pass (which contains a scannable QR code and expires one year after the date of the second shot) can be accessed from the Android app, iOS app, website, or Apple Wallet.

New York City announced on August 3 that out-of-state vaccinated visitors or New Yorkers will be able to download an app called Key to NYC Pass.

Vaccinated people in California can enter their name, date of birth, email or phone number to get a digital My Vaccine Record QR code.

California residents can obtain a QR code to verify vaccination status through the state's health department.

Photo:
California Public Health Service

After the record is found, the user receives the link by text or email. The link is only accessible 24 hours a day, so take a screenshot and save it to make sure the QR code and name appear on the shot. (For iOS, press the power button and volume up button on the side at the same time. For Android, press the power button and volume down button at the same time.) I added the screenshot to my favorites in the Photos app, so it's always quick. You can access it. ..

You can scan the QR code with the SMART Health app used by schools, businesses, and other institutions to verify that your vaccine record is an official California record.

Be careful when downloading third-party apps.

There is a lot of personal information related to vaccine records that make spoofing criminals dance. Therefore, it is not a good idea to post a selfie with a vaccine card.

We also refrain from signing up for one of the many independent vaccine pass apps and websites currently being created unless there is a good reason for the facility you are visiting. Vax Yes by Go Get Doc is one such option that works with Apple Wallet. According to the company, the website complies with HIPAA (a federal law designed to protect sensitive health information) and can use state immune records to validate digitized records. increase.

Patients with Walgreens can access a copy of the vaccine record on the company website. If you have been vaccinated at Walmart or Sam's Club, you can download Health Pass by Clear (free on iOS and Android) to access your digital records. You must agree to share your vaccination history with the app on the Wal-Mart website.

Also, if you lose your card, please contact your state's immune information system. The CDC lists links to each state's system on its website.

Start-ups, governments, and nonprofits are competing to create so-called "vaccine passports" or digital health passes aimed at enabling people to move and move safely in public. The WSJ explains what it takes to get the global digital health path system on track.Illustration: Zoe Soriano

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Write to Nicole Nguyen (nicole.nguyen@wsj.com)

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