THE ON-GOING PROBLEM 

Healthcare facilities and COVID-19 testing centers could start issuing digitally-signed credentials about a patient’s COVID-19 status directly to their smartphones. With a quick touchless scan of a QR code, that individual can prove that he or she is currently virus-free or has been vaccinated (once that is available). True to the spirit of verifiable credentials, this certificate could contain no personally identifiable information—meaning privacy and confidentiality can be preserved at all times—while still providing strong cryptographic proof that the credential belongs to that person. This type of digital credential would be massively harder to fake or spoof than any paper or plastic credential. And it can be issued in seconds—and revoked in seconds if that individual’s COVID-19 status changes.

In June 2020, California legislators passed a bill to authorize the issuers of COVID-19 test results to do so with digital verifiable credentials powered by blockchain-technology. COVID-19 test results or other medical test results may use verifiable credentials, as defined by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), for the purpose of providing test results to individuals. 

The alternative is government surveillance of private citizens. 

The extraordinary efforts of China’s central government have saved many locally, and by extension, throughout the world. However, they depend upon a strong central government that’s willing to abridge personal autonomy in troubling ways. Citizens are scanned as they board busses, approach crosswalks, and cross barricades. A complete record of movements and body temperatures, hour-by-hour and interaction-by-interaction, is compiled and tracked for many citizens.

This perhaps unavoidable in the heat of the early stages of an emergency. However, we need to think about the long-term consequences of building such digital infrastructure across society. Is it appropriate when a lockdown is lifted? Do we want a world where our data can be demanded or shared without our consent? There is a real danger of these emergency solutions becoming the new normal, and we cannot accept a loss of privacy or a surveillance economy as the defaults once this crisis is over. The privacy rules around the usage of these credentials will shape civil society for years to come. 

In order to design and deploy a solution at the speed and scale necessary, organizations are calling on the world’s governments, healthcare organizations, tech companies, and innovators to collaborate on COVID-19 credentials, with a focus on three areas: 

The BizSecure Pandemic Response Toolkit utilizes state of the art technology to provide a safe and convenient method of verifying individual test results without compromising on HIPPA compliance or an individual’s right to privacy. Our customizable solution enables you to provide health screenings, Telehealth services, and COVID-19 testing for your organization.

The BizSecure Wallet allows you to verify any user’s COVID-19 test results as authentic and valid. Our Facial Detection Smart Terminal provides access control by ensuring face masks are being utilized and body temperature readings remain under the recommended threshold.

Keep your employees and customers healthy and safe with our HIPPA compliant technology solutions that bring customers and staff safely back to the workplace.