Philadelphia is pushing ahead with an effort to issue digital vaccine cards to residents, though businesses and health experts say they may be irrelevant at this stage in the pandemic.
The digital record encrypts the same vaccination information found on paper cards in a QR code format that can be scanned by businesses and others seeking to confirm vaccine status.
“There is a value, but its uptake would be very limited,” said Tinglong Dai, professor of operations management and business analytics at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. “People don’t really use vaccination records much unless you travel outside the United States.”
The city is moving ahead with the system despite ending its vaccine mandate for indoor dining in February. It has no plans to renew any COVID-19 safety restrictions. It declined to say when the digital cards will be available, citing technical issues with the rollout.
Proof of vaccination, though, is useful for more than just access to indoor dining, said Matt Rankin, a spokesperson for the health department. Some businesses do still require customers prove vaccination, as do many employers and schools, Rankin said. The digital proof of vaccination would also be helpful as people get booster shots.
“It is also crucial to have access to your vaccine records when it is time for residents to get up to date on their vaccines,” he said.
An online portal will allow Philadelphians to download the digital card, making it easier to replace tattered or lost versions of the paper proof of vaccination cards first issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At one restaurant still asking for vaccination cards, a co-owner questioned the usefulness of digital records.
“I’m hesitant to say whether or not it would be helpful,” said Ed Crochet, co-owner of Fiore Fine Foods, in Queen Village. “Most of the times we have difficulty, it was because people were offended that we were checking.”
Prior to the pandemic, the city…
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