are vaxx passports and certificates different?

premier doug ford announced wednesday afternoon that the province will require proof of vaccination from people over 12 who want to enter high-risk environments like restaurants, gyms, event spaces, sporting events, bars, casinos and concerts.

starting sept. 22, the businesses covered by the ruling will have to ask patrons for pdfs of their vaccine receipts along with photo id. (if you’re an ontario resident, you can access your vaccine receipts using your health card information on the government’s website .) by oct. 22, the requirement will involve showing a unique qr code with your name and vaccine status. the province also intends to release an app.

during the press conference, ford largely avoided using the term “vaccine passport,” instead calling the document an “enhanced vaccine certificate.” some people have expressed discomfort with the word “passport,” which can seem divisive and, in some cases, might empower conspiracy theorists who believe the pandemic was orchestrated as a way to impose government control.

whatever term is used, public health advocates have been calling for a similar system for a long time. last week dr. paul roumeliotis, chief medical officer of health for the eastern ontario health unit and resident of the association of local public health agencies, told the ottawa citizen  that if the provincial government didn’t mandate a proof-of-vaccination system, medical officers of health would create regional ones. and on monday, ottawa’s mayor jim watson and board of health chair keith egli wrote a letter to the province asking ford to implement a passport system.

vaccine requirements are a reliable and consistent way to make sure people who have taken precautions against catching covid can stay safe. and they appear to convince a lot of people: in france, for instance, more than 1 million people made vaccine appointments immediately following president emmanuel macron’s announcement that they would be required to show proof of immunization in order to visit restaurants, movie theatres, and other public spaces.

quebec

how it works
quebec’s vaccine passport, which was announced in early august, went into effect wednesday. most quebecers had received an email from their health authority after receiving their vaccinations, giving them the option to download a qr code, which includes their name, date of birth, and the information about their covid vaccines. people who didn’t get the email could access the qr code from the government’s website. those who had trouble accessing it had the option of calling the province to get a physical, wallet-sized qr code mailed to them.

once someone has their qr code, they have the option to use a pdf or a printed version. or they can upload the code to the vaxicode app , available for free on apple or android phones. the code can then easily be scanned by a business, who will see just the user’s name and whether or not they’re “ adequately protected ,” without displaying any of their other information. (along with people who received two doses of astra-zeneca, moderna or pfizer, or one dose of johnson & johnson, people who received only one dose of the two-dose options after testing positive for covid are also considered adequately vaccinated.)

what it applies to
as in ontario, quebec’s vaccine passport will have to be shown at restaurants, bars, gyms, cinemas, theatres, casinos, concerts and sporting events. one difference is that quebec (along with b.c. and manitoba) will include patio dining on its list of places where proof of vaccination is necessary. so far, ontario is the first province that won’t require outdoor diners to show that they’ve been immunized.

problems and pitfalls
just days after the vaxicode app launched, and right before the system went into effect, hackers allegedly managed to steal the qr codes of provincial politicians, including premier françois legault and health minister christian dubé. the premier’s office didn’t confirm the breach, but noted that the qr codes contained less information “than on a driver’s licence or a medicare card.”

other provinces should learn from quebec’s situation and take a lot of precaution, cyber-security expert david masson told victoria newspaper the times colonist .

british columbia

how it works
british columbia is taking a slightly slower approach with their system. starting sept. 13, people over 12 will need to show proof of one vaccine before entering high-risk environments. by oct. 24, they’ll need proof they’ve received two doses.

what it applies to
b.c.’s vaccine passport will apply to restaurants (including patios), any concerts, performances or sporting events that are indoors, gyms, movie theatres, casinos, and indoor events like weddings, parties, and conferences.

problems and pitfalls
some of the details haven’t yet been ironed out, leaving some businesses unsure of how to proceed. for instance, proof of vaccination will be required at restaurants, pubs and bars — but it’s not clear whether a coffee shop, for instance, counts as a restaurant.

ian tostenson, president of the b.c. restaurant and foodservices association, told city news that several members are still waiting to hear what will be required of them in less than two weeks.

manitoba

how it works
manitoba residents can now access a vaccine card on the government’s website that will display a qr code. you don’t need a health card to access a vaccine card . as in quebec, the only information a business will see when scanning the code is the patron’s name and vaccination status. manitobans can also choose to receive a physical card.

what it applies to
largely the same as the other provinces: restaurants and bars (including patios), clubs, movie theatres, gyms (except for youth recreational sports), clubs, indoor concerts or performing arts events.

problems and pitfalls
some business owners have said they feel uncomfortable asking patrons for personal information. but others don’t mind, like silver heights restaurant owner tony siwicki, who told cbc news that his staff is used to asking people for id before serving them alcohol.

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