(Reuters) - Tech giants including Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT), Oracle Corp (NYSE:ORCL) and healthcare companies Cigna Corp (NYSE:CI) and Mayo Clinic are part of a coalition pushing for digital records of people who get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The project, called Vaccination Credential Initiative, aims to help people get encrypted digital copies of their immunization records stored in a digital wallet of their choice, the companies said in a statement on Thursday.
Individuals without smartphones would receive paper printed with QR codes containing the credentials, they said.
In the United States, where vaccines from Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) and Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) Inc have been authorized for emergency use, vaccinated individuals receive a vaccination card or printout.
The current system does not readily support convenient access, control and sharing of verifiable vaccination records, the companies said.