Post-pandemic reality: New York is the first in the country to introduce COVID passports

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the Excelsior Pass to accelerate business and entertainment start-ups across the state. This is stated on governor site.

Excelsior Pass is a free, voluntary platform developed in partnership with IBM that uses proven and safe technologies to confirm a recent negative PCR, antigen test or vaccine proof to accelerate the reopening of factories and venues in line with Department of Health directives New York State.

Similar to the airline's mobile boarding pass, people can either print out their “passport” or save it on their smartphones using the Excelsior Pass Wallet app. Each passport will have a secure QR code that participating businesses and establishments can scan with a companion app to verify the details. Personal data is always kept safe and confidential.

As part of this initial launch, participating New Yorkers can use the Excelsior Pass to confirm their COVID-19 vaccination or test negative if needed.

Major venues have already announced they will start using the technology in the coming weeks, including Madison Square Garden in New York starting next week and the Times Union Center in Albany. Starting April 2, the Excelsior Pass will be available for small art, entertainment and event venues.

On the subject: New York officially introduces COVID passports

“New Yorkers have proven they can follow public health guidelines to defeat COVID-19, and the innovative Excelsior Pass is another tool to fight the virus. It allows you to safely open up new sectors of the economy and keep your personal information safe, Cuomo said. “Public health versus economics has always been the wrong choice — there must be both. As more New Yorkers are vaccinated every day and as key public health metrics continue to consistently hit their lowest levels in months, the country's first Excelsior Pass marks the next step towards our thoughtful and scientific informed discovery ”.

New York State became the first US state to officially launch this potentially transformative technology. Prior to launch, there have been two successful pilot demonstrations in recent weeks, as well as beta testing in which thousands of New Yorkers have participated in limited technology deployments to provide feedback on the user experience and results.

Interested New Yorkers can download the Excelsior Pass Wallet app for Android here, and for iOS - here... Interested companies can download the Excelsior Pass Scanner app for Android here, and for iOS - here.

Steve LaFleche, general manager of IBM Public and Federal Markets, said: “IBM is proud to support New York State in its efforts to apply innovative technologies to help residents and communities respond to COVID-19. By choosing a flexible and affordable tool where security and privacy are at the core, the state is showing the rest of the country how new technology-based approaches can help safely revitalize economies while striving to protect public health. ”

Excelsior Pass is based on the IBM Digital Health Pass solution and is designed to provide secure validation of health credentials, such as test results and vaccination records, without the need to share basic medical and personal information. The technology is flexible and scalable, allowing other states to join and facilitate a safer and more reliable transition to a post-pandemic reality. The pass is also printable and complements other types of evidence that visitors can use, reducing any barriers to use.

Particular attention is paid to protecting the privacy of a person. Secure technologies like blockchain and encryption are built into Excelsior Pass to help protect data, make it verifiable and reliable. No personal health data is stored or tracked in apps. Excelsior Pass can be used to voluntarily display a QR code as proof of COVID-19 vaccination or test negative through a smartphone digital wallet or printed credentials without disclosing basic personal health information.

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Numerous security systems exist to ensure the integrity of personal health information. The Excelsior Pass has been designed with fairness and equal access in mind. With multilingual access, reliable support, and many ways to use the Excelsior Pass - whether you own a smartphone or not - New York is committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers can participate in the safe, convenient, and responsible reopening of the economy.

Some laboratories have already committed to the rapid transfer of COVID-19 test results to an electronic reporting system: Acutis Diagnostics, Aegis Sciences Corporation, BioReference Laboratories, Boston Heart Diagnostics, Broad Institute, Cayuga Medical Center, Clarity Lab Solutions, Lenco Diagnostic Laboratories, Mount Sinai Hospital Clinical Laboratory Center, Northwell Health, Quest Diagnostics, Rapid Reliable.

The state continues to work with other labs and rapid testing centers to expand this list of partners and expedite reporting so that users receive timely and accurate results to engage in collaborative economic and social activities.