(Government of Saskatchewan/Supplied)

By CJME News

Tech expert tries to ease concerns about QR codes for proving vax status

Sep 23, 2021 | 2:25 PM

A Canadian tech expert says people shouldn’t have any fears about their personal information in a bar code.

Starting Oct. 1, Saskatchewan is moving to a QR code system to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination.

“It’s unique to you,” Amber Mac told 650 CKOM’s Brent Loucks on Thursday. “It’s a much safer way to be able to verify vaccination versus all of us carrying around a piece of paper with our name and other information on it.

“QR codes, in instances like this, would be much more secure in a way that you are able to get information and verify the information.”

A Saskatchewan.ca account is required to register for the online vaccination record. To register, residents of the province will need their SGI photo ID card and their health services number.

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The vaccination record from eHealth contains the name, date of birth and vaccination status of the person.

Mac explains why having that information is necessary.

“That is the one piece of information they would need or else everyone would just print off these QR codes from the internet and go wherever they wanted,” Mac said.

“Facebook knows more information about you and there are potentially more privacy violations that you have shared on Facebook than this QR code is going to lead to.”

Businesses, events and venues will be able to scan the QR code without an individual having to produce their full record. Using an app that is expected to be released by the end of September, a red or green light will show after a QR code is scanned to signify whether an individual is vaccinated.

The code will not show any of the information listed on an individual’s vaccination record.