By Aaron Miller-
New York has become the first state to introduce a new app which will allow users to prove they have received their COVID-19 vaccinations.
The pass which was quietly launched last Friday, is expected to assist New Yorkers to prove they have been immunised against the virus, thereby enabling the reopening of certain venues, such as music and sports arenas, restaurants and other businesses.
The move is the first step in America, effectively freezing out those who decline taking the vaccine for whatever reason. It is also likely to set the standard for other cities to emulate.
The significant step is bound to be controversial among Americans, and raise concern for those across the pond who will see it as the beginning of draconian measures to punish those without evidence of vaccination.
There are already whispers in New York that the move could be challenged by legal action in the courts.
Advocates of the scheme consider the move a positive step in guarding the safety of the public when they congregate to resume normal life, but some critics see it as Governor’s Cuomo’s way of trying to deflect attention away from the allegations against him.
It won’t change the fact that a blanket discrimination against those who do not take the vaccine will be an indirect measure of compelling people to take the vaccine, or face the consequences derived from lack of compliance.
There are already whispers in New York that the move could be challenged by legal action in the courts.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo- who has been embroiled in allegations of sexual harassment- announced the launch of the Excelsior Pass — a free, voluntary digital app developed in partnership with IBM that will verify if an individual user is fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or has recently tested negative for the illness.
Mobile Wallet
The system would enable users to add the pass to their mobile wallet, and can use it to enter certain buildings or venues to prove they have immunity from the virus.
Businesses can also employ a companion app that will scan users’ passes when they enter to verify their vaccine status, while keeping all their private information confidential.
Fast Track
The platform is intended to fast-track the reopening of sports arenas, music venues, restaurants and other businesses with capacity limitations due to Covid-19 in accordance with New York State Department of Health guidelines.
“The question of ‘public health or the economy’ has always been a false choice — the answer must be both,” said Governor Cuomo in a statement. “As more New Yorkers get vaccinated each day and as key public health metrics continue to regularly reach their lowest rates in months, the first-in-the-nation Excelsior Pass heralds the next step in our thoughtful, science-based reopening.”
Airline Boarding Pass
The Pass, which is available for iPhone and Android users, operates like a mobile airline boarding pass. Individuals are given a digital pass with a secure QR code, which they can either print out or store on their smartphones using the Excelsior Pass Wallet app.
Businesses and venues can use a companion app to scan the customer’s QR code to verify his or her Covid status while keeping data secure and confidential.
Venues
Major venues in the Empire State, including 20,000-seat Madison Square Garden in New York City and the 17,500-seat Times Union Center in Albany — are already planning to utilize this technology. Beginning April 2, Excelsior Pass will expand to smaller arts, entertainment and event venues.
“The Times Union Center looks forward to using this platform and making this excellent technology available for future events,” said Bob Belber, GM of the Times Union Center. “This will be a game changer for our venue’s continued reopening process and for New Yorkers in the Capital Region and beyond.”
It’s implications amount to an attempt to forcing Americans to take the vaccine, undermining the essence of persuading communities to take the vaccine.
Excelsior Pass is built on IBM’s Digital Health Pass solution and aimed at the verification of health credentials such as test results and vaccination records without the need to share underlying medical and personal information.
Secure technologies, like blockchain and encryption, are woven throughout Excelsior Pass to help protect the data, and no private health data is stored or tracked within the apps.
LaFleche, GM of IBM Public and Federal Markets said:
“[New York] state is modeling for the rest of the country how new, technology-enabled approaches can help safely reinvigorate economies while also striving to protect public health,”
The technology is flexible and built to scale, according to LaFleche, so other states could join the platform in the future.
‘The question of public health or the economy has always been a false choice – the answer must be both,’ Governor Andrew Cuomo in a statement, as per Forbes.
Trials
The so-called digital COVID passport has already been through two trials with thousands of New Yorkers in a limited rollout.
Anyone with a smartphone can download the app, named the Excelsior Pass, which gives users a digital pass with a personalised QR code that resembles a boarding pass.
Under the new system, people can add the pass to their mobile wallet, and can use it to enter certain buildings or venues to prove they have immunity from the virus.
Businesses can employ a companion app that will scan users’ passes when they enter to verify their vaccine status, while keeping all their private information confidential.
A number of major venues in the state have already revealed plans to use digital COVID passports to determine who can enter, including Madison Square Garden in New York City, which has a capacity of 20,000 seats, as well as the Times Union Center in Albany, which has 17,500 seats.