Louisiana adds vaccine status to digital driver’s license app
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Residents of Louisiana can now have an electronic version of their COVID-19 vaccination records added to their LA Wallet, the state’s digital drivers’ license mobile application.
Residents of Louisiana can now have an electronic version of their COVID-19 vaccination records added to their LA Wallet, the state’s digital drivers’ license app.
Launched in 2018, LA Wallet is a legal driver’s license available to all Louisiana residents. It was jointly designed by the Office of Motor Vehicles, the State Police and the Department of Public Safety. It was developed for free by Louisiana software firm Envoc and is currently used by 670,000 state residents across 1.2 million devices.
The vaccination record on file with the Louisiana Department of Health can be easily added to the app, and recent COVID-19 test result status will soon be available. Residents who choose to use the LA Wallet app can share their COVID-19 status with others either visually or programmatically.
Adding the vaccination status to the app is free, so there are no barriers to adoption, according to the app website. It can be used not only by residents, but also by businesses, schools, sports events, entertainment and other venues to protect public health and ensure data privacy.
“The power and opportunity of LA Wallet come from its real-time connections to the documents of record of both the Louisiana Department of Public Safety for identity and status and now the Louisiana Department of Health for COVID-19 vaccination status and will be extended to recent COVID-19 test result status,” state officials said. “All of this carefully curated through HIPAA-compliant channels and permissively granted by each citizen wishing to participate.”
Louisiana is the first state to give residents digital access to their vaccination records in accordance with the SMART Health Cards Framework, a standard for sharing and verifying personal health information using open, interoperable and verifiable standards.
“This enhancement is about connecting people with their own personal health information in a simple, secure way,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said. “The LA Wallet app is free, safe, and private and people who use it are assured that their personal health information is well protected.”
People without access to smartphones can get printed copies of their vaccine records from their parish health unit or from any provider that administers vaccines and uses the LINKS system. Residents can also print their complete immunization record through MyIR.