COVID-19: Federal Passport for Vaccines Now Available in BC

Article content

The vaccine passport recently announced by the federal government is now available to all British Columbia residents, just as Canada’s new travel vaccination rules went into effect.

Article content

All people over the age of 12 must now be fully vaccinated to board national or international flights departing from most Canadian airports , cruise ships or VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains.

Two doses of any federally approved COVID-19 vaccine, with the second dose administered at least 14 days prior to travel, are required to be considered fully vaccinated.

Ottawa has said that there will be a one-month grace period during which the BC vaccination card will be accepted as proof of vaccination. Canadians will also have the option of providing proof of a negative COVID-19 test in lieu of a vaccine passport during the grace period. Negative test results and the provincial card will only be accepted until November 30.

Article content

Like the BC Immunization Card, the new federal proof of immunization can be accessed through the Health Portal , the web service of the Ministry of Health, by calling 1-833-838-2323 or in person at most BC Service Offices .

“The federal card can be accessed in the same way as the BC Vaccine Card, which 3.7 million Britons have downloaded to enjoy non-essential activities across our province, such as dining at restaurants or attending a sporting event,” he said. the Minister of Health, Adrian Dix. it said in a statement. “By making sure we are all fully vaccinated, we can do more with the people we love, safely.”

British Columbia residents who wish to download a copy of the federal immunization card through Health Gateway will need three pieces of information: their personal health number, date of birth, and the date they received their first or second dose of vaccine.

Article content

Both cards include a scannable QR code, but the federal one includes more information than the BC card, which only includes name and vaccination status. The federal card includes the date of birth, the vaccination details, including the date and type of vaccine used in each dose, and security features to prevent tampering or fraud.

The federal card uses the SMART health card standard, which is recognized by many of the top travel destinations for Canadian travelers, although the card does not guarantee entry to another country.

Details about the card have been shared with “international partners” and “may” be accepted by international travel destinations, based on information posted on government websites.

Article content

International travelers must confirm the vaccination requirements of their destination country before departing.

The BC Immunization Card will continue to be used for non-essential activities in BC, such as going to a restaurant or sporting event.

[email protected]

twitter.com/njgriffiths

Get the latest news about COVID-19 delivered to your inbox on weekends at 7pm by subscribing to our newsletter here .