Pritzker administration releases 'Vax Verify' program – digital proof of COVID vaccine

[August 12, 2021]  By Greg Bishop

(The Center Square) – The state of Illinois has launched a new program for residents 18 years and older to digitally carry their COVID-19 vaccine papers for when they’re required to show them.

Called “Vax Verify,” the Illinois Department of Public Health announced the program Wednesday.

“As more businesses, events, organizations, and others require proof of vaccination, Illinois residents will be able to confirm using Vax Verify that they have been vaccinated for COVID-19,” IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said. “With the current surge in cases, more people are making the decision to get a COVID-19 vaccine and this new tool will aid residents in confirming their vaccination where needed.”

One area the program will be tested on is the Illinois State Fair grandstand, where attendees with certain concert tickets close to the stage have to show proof of vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test.

The city of New York last week announced beginning the second week of September people wanting to go to restaurants, gyms or indoor entertainment ventures must show vaccine proof.

Civil liberties groups are critical of such technology for people to show vaccine proof, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike speaks at a vaccination site on Thursday, April 8, 2021.  Courtesy of BlueRoomStream

“A digitized system based on proof of immunization will amplify the lack of access,” the EFF said in a blog post. “Resources, especially tax dollars, should be focused on giving people more information about and access to vaccinations, rather than creating a digital fence against those who haven’t been vaccinated yet – and subjecting people who have been vaccinated to new privacy risks.

“Sweeping in smartphone-based products and new privacy concerns would only harm public health efforts to ease the public’s mind,” the group said. “Immunizations and providing proof of immunizations are not new. However, there's a big difference between utilizing existing systems to adapt to a public health crisis and vendor-driven efforts to deploy new, potentially dangerous technology under the guise of helping us all move past this pandemic.”

For Illinois’ Vax Verify program, users would have to enter personal information to be cross referenced and verified.

“After the verification process, individuals can see their own record in the Illinois Comprehensive Automated Immunization Registry Exchange (I-CARE),” the news release from IDPH said.

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