New York launched a digital COVID-19 vaccination passport to attend concerts, sporting events and other large-scale venues

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the implementation of Excelsior Pass, a free and voluntary digital app developed in collaboration with IBM that checks whether a user is fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or has recently tested negative for the disease.

The platform is looking for accelerate the reopening of sports stadiums, concert halls, restaurants and other businesses with capacity limitations due to the coronavirus.

New York is the first state in the United States to officially apply a digital passport for Covid-19. The launch comes after two successful pilot demos and a beta test involving thousands of New Yorkers.

The application, explained Forbes, is available for iPhone and Android users and works like a digital airplane boarding pass. People receive a digital pass with a secure QR code, which they can print or store on their smartphone using the Excelsior Pass Wallet app.

Participating companies and sites can use a companion app to scan the customer’s QR code and check their Covid status, keeping data safe and confidential.

As part of the initial launch, participating New Yorkers will be able to use the Excelsior Pass to verify their Covid-19 status and thus be able to enter stadiums, wedding receptions or catering and other events that exceed the limit for social gatherings. .

The main places of the The Empire State, such as Madison Square Garden in New York, with a capacity of 20,000 people, and the Times Union Center in Albany, with 17,500 seats, are already planning to use this technology.. From April 2, the Excelsior Pass will be extended to smaller art, entertainment and event venues.

“The Times Union Center looks forward to using this platform and making this great technology available for future events,” said Bob Belber, CEO of Times Union Center. “This will be a game-changer for the ongoing reopening process of our facilities and for New Yorkers in the Capital Region and beyond.”

“The question of ‘public health or the economy’ has always been a false choice – the answer has to be both,” Governor Cuomo said. it is a statement. “As more New Yorkers get vaccinated every day and key public health indicators continue to hit their lowest rates in months, the Excelsior Pass is the next step in our thoughtful and grounded reopening. on science.

Excelsior Pass is based on IBM’s Digital Health Pass solution and is designed to verify health credentials, such as test results and immunization records, without the need to share personal information and medical. “New York State is a role model for the rest of the country on how new technological approaches can safely help revitalize economies while striving to protect public health,” said Steve LaFleche, CEO of IBM Public and Federal Markets.

The technology is flexible and intended to be scaled up, LaFleche says, so that other states can join the platform in the future.

This type of application is already in use in Israel, the country with the most advanced vaccination campaign in the world. A “green passport” has been used there since the beginning of March, which also works via an application for smartphones and allows vaccinated people to access sports halls, concerts and restaurants.

In Europe, on Monday, the possibility of implementing a system similar to that of New York and Israel for the countries of the bloc will begin to be discussed.. The proposal, which came from the Austrian government, foresees that the document is counterfeit-proof and also includes all tests for coronavirus and even if it has already overcome the disease.

Representatives from Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Cyprus, Malta and Bulgaria will attend the event, the ministry revealed. Austrian Agriculture, Regions and Tourism.

“We want to coordinate with other tourist countries in the EU in order to achieve a uniform framework and common conditions so that the green card can be used as soon as possible”, explained Koestinger.

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