Discussion begins on possibility of electronic COVID-19 vaccine card
The Ministry of Health, COVID-19 Task Force and other key stakeholders have begun discussions on the possibility of an electronic COVID-19 vaccination card for easier access to information. However, this will not be done overnight.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony made this disclosure during today’s COVID-19 update.
“We have been discussing it and we’ll see how, if that’s possible because it would entail a number of things: one, the persons who already have received the cards, how do we then get this new card to them and a whole host of other logistical issues would come up. But it’s something that we’re thinking about to make the cards more portable.”
The Minister said India’s Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network (CoWIN) vaccination tracking software will assist with this, but this programme is also not yet ready.
“They [India] have consented to give us a customised version of that software for our use. So, we are continuing those discussions and hopefully as soon as we finalise it, we will then be able to move our database into that software, and it has a lot of ease of functions that will allow quick search if necessary and a whole host of other features,” Dr. Anthony said.
Meanwhile, with the current vaccination cards, Minister Anthony is urging vaccinated persons to keep those safe as the recent COVID-19 Measures stipulate persons must produce their COVID-19 immunisation cards to transact business at Government Ministries and Agencies. Those persons who operate public transport must also produce theirs if asked by a police officer or by anyone working on behalf of the Ministry of Health.
“The key to the card is really to identify that’s the person and also to verify that person would have received the vaccination.”
Minister Anthony advised against laminating the card and reducing its size.
“How the card is made up because it is folded, I think it’s going to be difficult to laminate it to show all the pertinent information. So, my advice would be that they walk with their card, they find ways and means of protecting it.”
The COVID-19 vaccination card is also required when travelling overseas.
To date, 257,384 or 52.9 per cent of adults in the country have taken their first COVID-19 vaccine, while 142,691 persons or 29.3 per cent of the adult population are now fully immunised against the disease.