VIRGINIA, USA — There is now an easier way to show proof you are vaccinated for COVID-19.
If you received the COVID-19 vaccine in the Commonwealth, you can now download a special QR code from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).
As more employers and businesses require employees and customers to be vaccinated, officials said this will boost the consistency and security of vaccination information while protecting individual privacy.
VDH has added barcodes that can be scanned with smartphones known as QR codes to state COVID-19 vaccination records, officials announced Thursday. People will be able to prove they’ve been vaccinated by showing a digital or printed QR code instead of a paper card and they won’t need a special app.
According to VDH, the QR codes will have the same information as paper records but will ensure greater security and efficiency.
The information will only be available if the person chooses to share it.
The codes contain the same information as paper records, but the format offers more security and the information is only available if a person chooses to share it, officials said. Because they are digitally signed by the Department of Health, officials said they can’t be altered or forged.
You can use it anytime you need to show proof of your vaccination status, including traveling internationally or if attending live events.
Virginia has become the fifth state to adopt the SMART Health Verifier App for QR codes. Other states using this free app include New York, Hawaii and California.
Anyone vaccinated in Virginia can visit the department’s vaccinate Virginia website to obtain their free vaccination record with the QR code, which can then be saved to a phone gallery or printed out.
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