Microsoft, Cigna, Oracle partner for digital records of COVID-19 vaccination

Tech companies including Microsoft Corp, Oracle Corp and healthcare companies Cigna Corp and Mayo Clinic have formed a coalition pushing for digital records of people who get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The project, called Vaccination Credential Initiative, aims to help people get encrypted digital copies of their immunisation records stored in a digital wallet of their choice, the companies said in a statement.

Individuals without smartphones would receive paper printed with QR codes containing the credentials, they said.

In the US, where vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna have been authorised for emergency use, vaccinated individuals receive a vaccination card or printout.

The current system does not readily support convenient access, control and sharing of verifiable vaccination records, the companies said.