Sask. launches proof of COVID-19 vaccination apps

REGINA -

The Saskatchewan government has launched two mobile apps for residents to provide and verify proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.

Saskatchewan’s proof of COVID-19 vaccination policy comes into effect Friday. Residents will have to show they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 for indoor dining at restaurants; indoor fitness centres and gyms; nightclubs and bars; event venues like conference centres, casinos, movie theatres, concert venues, museums and indoor facilities hosting ticketed sporting events.

The SK Vax Verifier is available for businesses and organizations to confirm the vaccination status of patrons. The app allows workers to scan a QR code, which will show if the person is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or not. The province said information is not saved during the scanning process.

After a privacy concern involving the QR codes last week, eHealth said it has worked with the vendor to redevelop each code and test them all, adding there should be no hesitancy to use it.

“From a QR code perspective, they are secure and so this was not any type of concern from a privacy perspective,” Davin Church, vice president of programs and technology with eHealth, said. “We did find the issue and the vendor has thoroughly tested that prior to reintroducing those QR codes.”

Memories Dining and Bar co-owner Thomas Siarkos said it will be using the verification app to check customer’s vaccine status before offering them a table.

“It’s very, very easy,” Siarkos said. “I downloaded both of them on our iPhones as well. Very simple and very easy to use.”

The app is not mandatory for businesses and a QR code is not necessary to prove vaccination status, according to the government. Residents can also provide a printed copy or a screenshot of their MySaskHealthRecord vaccine certificate, the wallet card issued at the time of vaccination, or a COVID-19 vaccine printout from the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Any business requiring proof of vaccination will also need to see ID from anyone 18 and older. Those between the ages of 12 and 17 will also need to show ID unless they’re with an adult who has a proof of vaccination and ID.

The SK Vax Wallet app allows residents to download their vaccination record to their phone and have it easily accessible.

The province said the SK Vax Verifier can be downloaded on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The SK Vax Wallet app is available on the Apple App Store and will be on the Google Play store “soon.”