IBM’s Blockchain Based Vaccine Passport Is Being Used In Over 450 Airports
• January 14, 2022 11:42 pm • CommentsIBM’s block-chain based vaccine passport is currently being used by over 450 airports worldwide.
According to their official site, IBM’s “Digital Heath Passes” uses blockchain technology in order to ” to help businesses efficiently verify multiple types of COVID-19 health credentials for employees, customers, fans, and travelers entering their site based on their own criteria”.
IBM’s digital health pass can be held in a digital wallet and is essentially a QR code that contains your vaccine status.
The tech company says “privacy is key” which is ironic considering they’re selling a product to governments and aviation industries that hands over a person’s current vaccination status which is then placed in a database that isn’t decentralized.
IBM: Vaccine Passports, BlockChain & Smart Contracts Paper.
“COVID as a catalyst; blockchain as an enabler”
"The COVID-19 pandemic has become a catalyst for change. It’s accelerated the roll-out of digital transformation programmes."https://t.co/NS2fx3yYKN pic.twitter.com/1IrHWiIFJ8
— Sikh For Truth (@SikhForTruth) January 5, 2022
When companies like IBM talk about vaccine passports and use words like "private blockchain," understand that they are attempting to fool you into believing your information is secure. "Private blockchain" really means centralized database that stores all of your information.
— Jordan Schachtel @ dossier.substack.com (@JordanSchachtel) March 30, 2021
Quartz had more on the story:
As international travel ramps up in parts of the world, Amadeus, a reservation system used by 474 airlines, has adopted IBM’s digital health passport solution called IBM Digital Health Pass. Instead of presenting paper-based certifications, travelers need only scan a QR code sent by email at the gate. Travelers without smart phones can print a QR code. The backend technology authenticates credentials against requirements of each country—relieving from agents an onerous burden, given how frequently countries change travel restrictions as the pandemic evolves.
Six airlines are using the system so far: Air Europa, Air Corsica, French Bee, Air Caraibes, Air Canada, and Norwegian Air Shuttle. Starting today, other airlines using Amadeus can activate it in their systems. “This avoids cumbersome and time-consuming checks while traveling, and adds further reassurance to airlines and their passengers,” explained Christian Warneck, who oversees travel safety at the Madrid-based Amadeus.
The state of New York is already using vaccine passports using IBM’s new technology:
New York State's vaccine passport app gives your private information and health records to IBM, so I hope you guys really trust IBM!
— Jordan Schachtel @ dossier.substack.com (@JordanSchachtel) March 26, 2021
IBM released this press release regarding their Health Passes:
Watson Health and Healthcare IT Leaders today announced the integration of IBM Digital Health Pass with Healthcare IT Leaders Healthy Returns, a comprehensive suite of enterprise COVID-19 services.
The IBM Digital Health Pass is designed to enable organizations to verify COVID-19 test results or vaccination status for employees, customers and visitors entering their site, such as a sports stadium, airplane, university, government building or workplace. Relying on a combination of encryption, QR codes and blockchain technology, the IBM Digital Health Pass is a secured, voluntary digital alternative to paper test results or vaccination cards and provides another option, if needed, for individuals to share that they have tested negative or been vaccinated for COVID-19.
In addition to the IBM Digital Health Pass, services offered through the Healthcare IT Leaders Healthy Returns practice include managed COVID-19 testing, delivered onsite or at home with enterprise-level reporting, and a range of vaccination support services.
“New regulations are challenging many organizations to implement COVID-19 testing and vaccination requirements in their workplace or businesses,” said Bob Bailey, Principal and Founder, Healthcare IT Leaders. “We are working with organizations such as the American Logistics Association (ALA) and many others to streamline and make the process of COVID-19 status verification easier with the use of the IBM Digital Health Pass.”
New York officials may have larger plans for the Excelsior Pass, the state’s vaccine passport app, according to newly obtained documents.
The state’s three-year contract with IBM reveals the cost to taxpayers may be much higher than first stated.https://t.co/5Dy6DEMUUs
— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 9, 2021
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