COVID vaccine verification digital record offered in WashingtonFree

OLYMPIA — Washington state has started offering residents a digital record of their coronavirus vaccinations that can be used to access businesses and other places where vaccine proof is required.

The Washington State Department of Health said the state will use the online tool WA Verify to generate digital vaccination record cards and a QR code that can be scanned to show that a person is fully vaccinated, KING-TV reported.

King County, home to Seattle, has required proof of vaccination for indoor dining and events and large outdoor gatherings since October. Washington state on Nov. 15 started requiring vaccination proof or a negative COVID-19 test for large gatherings. Other cities and businesses in the state have set their own proof of vaccination requirements.

To get the digital record and QR code, people on the WA Verify website input their name, date of birth and an email address or phone number associated with their vaccination record.

The state will match the information to vaccine records in its immunization database and will send a link via email or text message to access the digital record and QR code.

The record shows the same information as a paper vaccine card issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — name, date of birth, vaccination dates and vaccine types. California has implemented a similar system and Oregon officials are working on one.

The digital cards are optional and people can still show their original vaccine card or a photo of it and access their vaccination records digitally on MyIR Mobile.

“We ask that you respect the rules of the room and be prepared in advance to show the type of vaccination proof requested,” Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Secretary of Health, said in a news release.