How to Add COVID-19 Vaccination Card to Apple Wallet?
As of last fall, Apple Health and Wallet applications can now store verifiable COVID-19 vaccination records. In the past few years, adoption has been slow among healthcare providers and health technology infrastructure companies, but it is finally beginning to pick up.
Check out the details below for more information on storing COVID-19 vaccination records in Apple Health and Apple Wallet.
Is it safe to add vaccination and health records to Apple’s wallet?
In the same way that you would consider the potential risk of disclosing any personal information, you should think twice about posting your deets online.
Apple announced in June that it was adding support for storing driver’s licenses and state I.D.s in Apple Wallet. Security experts expressed concern over Apple’s move, saying that hackers or overzealous law enforcement agents might be able to access the files even if Apple is unable to do so.
You may want to use Google Wallet or Apple Wallet in some cases. The vaccine card is more secure than your credit card, anyway. Yet, keep in mind that contactless payment services can be hacked and that it may also happen with your debit card.
Best ways to add COVID-19 vaccination records to your Apple wallet:
From the get-go, it’s imperative to keep in mind that the value of the suggestions below will vary wildly based on a variety of factors. The details include things such as the country and state where you were vaccinated against COVID-19, the vaccine company you received, the healthcare provider you used, among other details.
The United States and other countries are accustomed to this when it comes to healthcare technology. The paper vaccination card you receive when you get your first shot is the only system widely supported in the United States for a reason.
The first step you should take before reading this guide is to find out how to locate your COVID-19 vaccination records on your healthcare provider’s website or application.
Next, choose the option below.
If you received a QR code
Patients are being given a QR code by some healthcare providers when they receive a COVID-19 vaccination and booster.
Adding your records to Apple Health and Apple Wallet is perhaps the most straightforward and easiest method. To do so, follow these steps:
- On your iPhone, open the Camera app.
- By scanning the QR code provided by your healthcare provider, you can use the camera on your iPhone.
- You can tap the notification you see in the Camera app to proceed with the process.
- Within the Health app, you should see information about your COVID-19 vaccination along with a button saying “Add to Wallet & Health.”
- Your records will be stored securely in Apple Health and Apple Wallet once you tap this button.
If you received a downloadable file
One of the approaches being taken by some healthcare providers is to provide patients with a downloadable health record that contains information about their COVID-19 vaccinations. How to add this data to Apple Health and Apple Wallet:
- From your healthcare provider, download the file to your iPhone.
- Click the download button.
- Upon opening the Health app, you should see a button that reads “Add to Wallet & Health.”
- Taping this will securely store your records in Apple Wallet and Apple Health.
Can COVID-19 vaccine record be added to Apple Health and Wallet in iOS 15?
As part of iOS 15, Apple Wallet will be able to upload verified vaccination cards for COVID-19. Apple introduced the beta for iOS 15.1 on September 21 2021, which allows users to upload vaccination information to the Health app, which then creates vaccination cards in Apple Wallet.
It makes it easier for iPhone users to quickly demonstrate their vaccination status at airports or other places.
SMART Health Cards is the international standard (currently in use in several states in the US) to produce proof of vaccination, sign it using a private key, and generate a public key to ensure your information is accurate.
Furthermore, the newly released iOS 15 supports the use of the same standard in the Health app to verify vaccinations and test results. Health Records on iPhone is a service offering access to medical records via QR codes, downloadable files, or healthcare providers who use it.
In spite of complaints from Apple, EU to legislate for common phone chargers
Cupertino has also promised that user data will be kept confidential. Users have also been told that Apple will not have access to any shared or imported information of their users, and they should encrypt all information before transferring it elsewhere.
As well as vaccination cards, Apple would not be able to see how users have used them.
Read: Apple To Donate 10 Million Masks To Healthcare Officials In The United States & Europe
This is what Apple announced on its developer site about the new feature:
Within the Health app, iOS 15 users will be able to download and store verifiable health records, including vaccinations and test results for COVID-19.
According to the SMART Health Cards specification, the Health app provides verifiable health records. Approved third-party apps that request verified health records, such as airlines, event venues, and other businesses that facilitate in-person interactions, can request access to verifiable health records stored in the Health app.
The company will also soon be able to add the COVID-19 vaccination record as a vaccination card to Apple Wallet that can be presented to businesses, venues, and more.
If your vaccination record is already in Apple Health
Apple Health should already have your vaccination record if you’ve connected your healthcare provider. Listed below is a comprehensive list of health records integration institutions available from Apple’s website.
You can find your COVID-19 vaccination by tapping “Browse” in the bottom right corner of Apple Health once you’ve added your health records. Then, you should see an “Add to Wallet” option.
Pro tip: Update your Apple Wallet when you get a booster shot
You won’t automatically receive a third dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine (or Johnson & Johnson’s vector-virus shot) if you receive a third dose. Therefore, you will need to scan it onto your phone again by using one of the methods above.
How to handle a printed card?
Apple does not accept unverified records for now, which means you must request a QR code or downloadable file to use Apple Wallet. If not, your vaccine status can be stored on your phone in other ways. Alternatively, a clear picture of the card will work if your state does not have COVID-19 vaccine apps for residents.
Support for digitizing government-issued IDs such as driver’s licenses is rumoured to be included in iOS 15’s Wallet update. Apple may use facial recognition to verify these IDs, similarly to how many banks authenticate transactions on the iPhone.
How to show your verification, if needed?
Here’s what to do if you ever need to access your vaccination record stored on your iPhone.
Step 1:
To use Face ID on an iPhone with a side button, double-click it. If your iPhone has a Home button, double-click it.
Step 2:
In the Wallet app, find your vaccination card and tap it. Authenticate with Touch ID, Face ID, or a passcode if needed.
Step 3:
You may have to show your driver’s license or photo ID in addition to the QR code if you would like your identity verified.
Step 4:
You can also remove your vaccination confirmation from Apple Wallet by pulling up your vaccination card and tapping the three-dot button at the top right.
Click the Remove Pass button on the resulting page. Your Apple Watch and the Wallet app will no longer display the card.
How to Remove vaccine ID from Apple Wallet?
Customers of Apple’s iPhones are consistently assured of the security and privacy of information stored in its Wallet app and Health app. It is not the cloud that stores vaccination information, and Apple does not have access to this data. The information on a vaccination card cannot be shared.
Vaccine verification can only be accessed, viewed, or displayed through Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode.
Approved third parties can access vaccination data for a short period of time if users consent to sharing their immunization records and lab results, but Apple demands strict encryption standards and prohibits outside vendors from marketing or selling this information to third parties. Customers should be able to request the deletion of their data from providers who offer a privacy policy.
Is a COVID Vaccination Card in Apple Wallet Secure?
Users’ health data will be protected by strict privacy protocols, according to Apple.
Vaccination card company says it does not see vaccination cards or how they are used, and it only stores vaccination cards on devices, not the cloud. A vaccination card is also not compatible with another device.
Passes can be viewed after they are added by confirming their identity either through Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.
Conclusion
Thus, these were some of the steps you can take to add COVID-19 vaccination cards to Apple Wallet. If you still have doubts, you can write to us in the comments sections below.
