Microsoft helps launch coalition to provide access to immunization records

Microsoft and several other large organizations are working to improve digital access to immunization records.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is part of a coalition to help people have access to their immunization records.
• The goal of the coalition is to provide people with an encrypted digital copy of their records.
• Microsoft joins, Salesforce, Oracle, and several other major organizations in the coalition.

As COVID-19 vaccination efforts ramp up around the world, a coalition of health and technology organizations announced that it will help people have access to their vaccination records. The coalition is called the Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI) and includes major organizations, including Microsoft, Oracle, and Salesforce (via Engadget).

The goal is to provide people with an encrypted digital copy of their immunization records that can be stored in a digital wallet. If a person does not have a smartphone, they should be able to print out a piece of paper with a QR code which has W3C verifiable credentials.

"As the world begins to recover from the pandemic, having electronic access to vaccination, testing, and other medical records will be vital to resuming travel and more," says Mike Sicilia, executive vice president of Oracle's Global Business Units. Sicilia adds, "This process needs to be as easy as online banking. We are committed to working collectively with the technology and medical communities, as well as global governments, to ensure people will have secure access to this information where and when they need it."

VCI plans to work with open standards and to focus on interoperability, including tools like CommonPass and the interoperable SMART Health Cards specification.

Joan Harvey, president of care solutions at Evernorth, Cigna's health services business states, "A secure, convenient solution to verify COVID-19 vaccination will play an important role in accelerating a healthy and safe return to work, school and life in general."

The VCI has a new website that explains the purpose of the coalition along with other information.