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Digitised vaccination cards which will be coming soon will have security features that fake cards wouldn’t have and the fakes will eventually be rendered useless.
Digital Transformation Minister Hassel Bacchus confirmed this yesterday replying to recent Guardian Media queries on the digitisation of vaccination cards.
This has become more important as the Government shifts the public sector to quasi safe zones from January 17.
Zones will be manned only by people who’ve presented proof of vaccination or appropriate exemption documents.
Legislation for this will be passed in both Houses of Parliament this week.
It requires only simple majority votes for passage.
So far since vaccinations began early last year 674,530 people in T&T have been fully vaccinated.
From last August the Health Ministry had been involved in a vaccination card verification exercise.
Yesterday, Bacchus told Guardian Media there had been some delays on the digitising of cards due to “unexpected issues” that arose. He declined to comment on the latter, but added, “As those were being resolved the time was also used to make improvements including additional security and increased functionality.”
“I expect that in this week an announcement will be made as to launch.”
He added, “The security features extend beyond replication, but include verification. So people may still choose to create fake cards but those will become very difficult to use as they will not be validated by the verification mechanisms we’re using so fake copies will eventually become useless.”
For the system to be fully effective, Bacchus said it will “require time, co-operation and compliance.”
There had been reports of fake vaccination cards in circulation in recent months. Two were arrested regarding this in September. It was also reported people were using these to get COVID boosters “shots” in December.
As the public sector safe zone plan looms ahead, last week Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh met with police to plan for an enhanced crackdown on fake vaccination cards.
There have also been reports of the alleged sale of fake vaccination cards by an official with prices “from $800” and now $1,800 following Government’s vaccination mandate.
Neither Deyalsingh nor National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds answered text queries on that.
Opposition United National Congress (UNC) chairman Dave Tancoo was asked if the UNC would do internal checks and if that would include staff at MPs’ offices.
He said, “I’m confident all is above board. Let the Ministry do any investigation, but don’t expect anything from a PNM investigation.”
Communication Minister Symon de Nobrega didn’t reply to queries on the issue.