NHS can now store your Covid vaccine passport with Google and Apple

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In the United States, Google and Apple devices can store proof of your Covid-19 vaccine status (Image: GETTY)

Google has added support for COVID-19 vaccination passports in the Android operating system and within Google Pay. Yes, the latter is the same app currently used to house credit and debit cards and to enable tap-to-pay with your smartphone at checkout. While Google Pay supports store loyalty cards, such as a Boots card to collect points on your purchases, it hasn’t been the all-encompassing thing for quite some time now, its equivalent on the iPhone called Apple Wallet.

Apple’s popular Wallet app, which is pre-installed on all iPhones, not only contains credit and loyalty cards, but is also used for example for cinema, train, plane and theater tickets. Apple Stores even issue a ticket for use in the app when reserving a slot to pick up a new gadget on launch day.

As such, it is the perfect app to hold a COVID-19 vaccination passport. Not only does this mean you don’t have to remember the little blue card you got at the vaccination center with the batch number and date of your shot… but it also means that proof of your vaccination is automatically transferred when you upgrade to a new iPhone model. Apple Watch owners can also show their wrist QR code, as is already possible with airport boarding passes, payment cards and other cards stored in Apple Wallet.

Apple has enabled a number of third-party apps since late last year to add a COVID-19 vaccination passport to the Wallet app. Some US cities, such as Los Angeles, have already adopted the feature, so those with two doses of the COVID-19 shot can prove their vaccinated status with a digital card in Apple Wallet. However, the adoption has not been as widespread.

Following in Apple’s footsteps, Google is expanding its wallet-like app, available on all Android handsets, to help reopen societies during the global public health crisis. Starting today, Google Pay can store and display a COVID-19 vaccination card. When traveling internationally or attending some large-scale events, such as the Euro 2020 at Wembley, you will need to provide proof of vaccination or test negative.

NHS Covid-19 Vaccine Passport Unlock Google Apple Update

The digital version of the COVID-19 vaccine card can be used as proof to travel or enter a location (Image: GOOGLE)

Being able to quickly load the official COVID-19 vaccination card with a swipe of the lock screen on your handset will be a great time saver. Certainly if more establishments are going to demand a vaccination certificate.

And don’t worry if you don’t have Google Pay installed on your handset. It is still possible to keep a digital copy of your map on your device without installing the app. So even if you are not interested in using your smartphone to pay contactless, you can still show a vaccine passport.

Whenever you need to access a COVID-19 card, Google will ask you to enter the password, PIN, or biometric method set up for the Android device.

This is an extra security measure to prevent people from stealing the unique details of your COVID-19 vaccination passport to create a duplicate – for example, unlocking the ability to travel internationally without ever taking a vaccine.

NHS Covid-19 Vaccine Passport Unlock Google Apple Update

As it stands, the only way to get a digital COVID-19 pass in England is to use the NHS app (Image: NHS • EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS)

So far, only a few healthcare providers in the United States have acquired Google and Apple for their virtual wallet solutions.

For those reading this in the UK, the UK government seems steadfast in requiring people to use their own NHS app, rather than using third party solutions. The NHS app has recently been updated to include support for a COVID-19 vaccination card. The NHS app is different from the NHS COVID-19 app, which is designed to stop the spread of the virus by tracking your movements and alerting you if you’ve been around someone who has later tested positive for an extended period of time. tested. It is available on iPhone and Android and also includes medical notes and history as recorded by your GP.

Using the solution from Google or Apple would mean that your vaccination card can be accessed on multiple devices at once – and used from a smartwatch or other accessory.

Google says the update to Google Pay will be available “soon” in all countries, potentially making it a truly internationally recognized option for travelers. Meanwhile, the NHS app should be updated to take advantage of the solution created by Apple Wallet.

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Neela
Neela
I work as the Content Writer for Gaming Ideology. I play Quake like professionally. I love to write about games and have been writing about them for two years.

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