LAS VEGAS — While the use of vaccine passports has so far been limited mainly to airlines and cruise lines, the technology has recently made its way to meeting venues in the U.S. convention capital of Las Vegas.
The first vaccine passport to be rolled out is Reviv Global’s Heliix digital health passport. The mobile app, available for download on the App Store or Google Play, uses an encrypted code to display the results of a recent COVID-19 test. The solution is aimed directly at convention attendees and works in collaboration with Reviv’s three COVID-19 testing clinics in Las Vegas, located at the MGM Grand, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and the Venetian.
Las Vegas Sands Corp. also announced a similar passport coming to the Venetian, Clear’s Health Pass, which can display information such as COVID-19 lab results and is preparing to add vaccination results. Like Reviv, CLEAR has made clear how it addresses privacy concerns, in its case by using biometrics of a person’s eyes and face to confirm their identity.
Related. COVID-19 vaccine rollout sparks optimism in trade show industry
Several companies are also working on similar solutions to share healthcare results, such as IBM’s digital health passport, which relies on its own blockchain technology.
Vaccine-only passports?
Could these technologies eventually focus solely on vaccination? Julia Miles, Reviv’s director of commercial operations, told the Las Vegas Journal Review “We’re not hearing institutions say they’re just going to seek out vaccines. I personally don’t think that’s going to happen simply because it would be too discriminatory against people who really can’t get vaccinated for whatever reason.”
Related. EU’s digital green vaccine passport to boost exhibition sector
The addition of Hyatt Hotels Corporation to the mix signals that trade show organizers may be limited to chain-specific solutions for attendee screening in the future. Last month, Hyatt announced plans to explore VeriFLY + Stay, a mobile health passport for the hospitality industry using the VeriFLY app to verify COVID-19 credentials and travel guidelines.
Hyatt will work with show organizers to identify criteria for their events—a vaccination record or a recent negative COVID-19 test—which will then be communicated to attendees. Once attendees complete the necessary forms, they will be able to use the app to display a green check mark to enter the show.
Related. April trial is another step towards Australian vaccine passport
“Throughout the pandemic, we have stayed close to our guests to understand what is most important to them and focus on solutions that meet their needs,” said Steve Enselein, senior vice president of events at Hyatt. “By listening to our guests, we know that the safety and well-being of attendees remains a top priority.”