RI Developing Proof Of COVID-19 Vaccination App

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island is in the process of developing an app the public can use to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, Gov. Dan McKee said Wednesday morning.

When asked if the app will be a "vaccine passport," McKee was hesitant to define it.

"You can call it whatever you want," he said. "We're going to make it available as a convenience item."

The app does not mean Rhode Island will require proof of vaccination, McKee explained, saying the decision to require COVID-19 vaccines will still be left to individual businesses.

Tom McCarthy, the executive director of the state's COVID-19 vaccine effort, said the app will be an alternative to carrying a paper vaccine card, the only nationally recognized proof of vaccination at this time.

The app platform is already being used by pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens, as well as other states. McCarthy said state leaders' focus was to find a platform that could meet the federal standard while offering users a more convenient option than carrying their physical card.

The app is currently in the testing stage, McCarthy said. He anticipated it will be ready for wider release within a few weeks. It is tentatively titled "401 Health."