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Two apps have been launched to help with the implementation of proof of vaccination requirements for Saskatchewan businesses and events.
Beginning Friday, Oct. 1, various businesses and venues in the province will be required to request proof of vaccination from customers before allowing entry.
The SK Vax Verifier app for businesses and the SK Vax Wallet app for individuals have been released by the provincial government in anticipation of Friday’s new regulations.
Businesses and organizations can choose to download a new free app that will read QR codes presented by customers. The new app, SK Vax Verifier, will scan the QR codes containing an individual’s vaccination records and determine whether the individual is fully vaccinated or not.
Provincial health minister Paul Merriman said the app is a “quick and easy way” for businesses and organizations to ascertain whether an individual is vaccinated according to the province’s criteria.
“I encourage businesses and organizations to download this handy tool,” Merriman said in a Wednesday release.
An individual’s QR code will show a green indicator once scanned if a person is fully vaccinated. If they are not, a red indicator will show. The information contained within the codes is secure, the government said. Experts have also voiced that no personal information is saved or retained in the scanning process.
QR codes were re-released on Saskatchewan eHealth accounts Tuesday after they were recalled Friday due to a technical glitch.
The criteria for a green indicator is fulfilled after an individual is 14 days-post receiving their second of two doses of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna) or AstraZeneca/COVISHEILD or one dose of the Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) vaccine. The two-dose vaccines are noted to be interchangeable.
The app is not mandatory for business use and QR codes are not required to demonstrate proof of vaccination.
Other proof of vaccination options businesses may consider accepting include: a MySaskhealthRecord vaccine certificate, printed or saved to a device or uploaded to the SK Vax Wallet app, an earlier version of a MySaskHealthRecord COVID-19 vaccine certificate, the wallet card issued at the time of vaccinations or a COVID-19 vaccine printout from the Saskatchewan Health Authority Public Health.
Businesses requiring proof of vaccination will also require ID from anyone 18 or older. Youth between the ages of 12 and 17 will also need to show ID unless accompanied by an adult with proof of vaccination and ID.
The SK Vax Wallet is also available to Saskatchewan residents who want to download their vaccine record for easy access on the app on their smartphone. This app is not mandatory for residents to download, but allows individuals to scan their QR code quickly and easily when gaining access to businesses or venues in the province. It also allows for families to keep all their vaccination records in one place.
The SK Vax Verifier and SK Vax Wallet apps are available on the Apple App store and are expected to be available shortly for Android devices, as well.
Residents can access their COVID-19 vaccination certificate through MySaskHealthRecord. Website traffic is expected to be busy and delays may be experienced leading up to Oct. 1. If registering for a new account, it may take up to 24 hours for your vaccination record to be updated.