The state now has downloadable passports for those who are vaccinated, soon to include scannable barcodes.
Virginia has announced that residents of the state will soon be able to download QR code vaccine records that they can use to prove they have received their shots.
Many businesses and organizations now require their employees to be able to prove they are vaccinated.
The FDA is approaching being able to provide full licensure for businesses to be able to make vaccination a requirement. As a result, the QR code vaccination records will make it easier for those who have received their shots to be able to prove that it occurred. State vaccine coordinator in Virginia, Dr. Danny Avula, said that he expects the FDA to provide licensure in September.
“That will create some logistical things, like how people will prove they’ve been vaccinated,” said Avula.
The downloadable records are in PDF format and provide a resident with proof that they have received their shots for COVID-19. The record can be downloaded to be saved and printed.
The QR code vaccination record will be the only way to provide proof in certain locations.
The barcodes will become available in the state, making it possible for the veracity of the proof to be checked. These are expecting to become downloadable within the next two to three weeks. Though the Virginia Department of Health won’t be hosting or managing the passports themselves, they are working to ensure state residents have the necessary access to this proof, said Avula.
“Ultimately, vaccine mandates is a decision of the [Virginia] General Assembly,” added Avula. He also pointed out that the state is now seeing an increase in the number of people who are getting their shots. The dramatic rise in hospitalizations due to the far more contagious Delta variant has motivated people to get the shot when they had previously been hesitant, he said.
The QR code vaccine records are meant to be used as a tool to help curb the spread of the virus. “COVID 
is not going to go away after this Delta variant,” he said. “We are going to see new variants and we are going to have to learn how to live with this disease.”
