Samsung Galaxy Phones Can Now Store Proof Of COVID-19 Vaccination

The Commons Project Foundation and Samsung have teamed up to bring COVID-19 vaccination information to Galaxy smartphones via Samsung Pay. The system requires users to connect their vaccine provider's account with the CommonHealth app from the foundation, which then connects with Samsung Pay on the user's phone.

An increasing number of businesses, venues and employers are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for everything from indoor dining to returning to the office. Despite the technology all around us, vaccination proof is quite rudimentary: it comes in the form of a paper card that serves as an immunization record.

This is a problem because, well, paper is easy to lose or destroy. So-called vaccine 'passport' apps have proven a controversial, but ultimately very convenient way to transport proof of vaccination, enabling vaccinated individuals to show test results, vaccination status, and more using their phone.

CommonHealth is a mobile app from the Commons Project Foundation that enables users to easily link to their various health care providers, pharmacies, and similar. By linking those accounts with the app, CommonHealth can display things like immunization records and more on the patient's phone.

In an announcement today, the foundation revealed that its CommonHealth app is getting an integration with Samsung Pay that will allow Galaxy smartphone owners to store a verified digital version of their COVID-19 vaccination record. The content can also be displayed as a QR code for quick scanning at destinations that support the tech.

The feature is rolling out to all phones with Samsung Pay support over the next couple of weeks.