Illinois Now Has a COVID-19 Vaccine Verification System

Individuals are issued a COVID-19 vaccination card when they’re vaccinated. (Kristen Thometz / WTTW News)Individuals are issued a COVID-19 vaccination card when they’re vaccinated. (Kristen Thometz / WTTW News)

Illinois residents ages 18 and older no longer need to worry about carrying their COVID-19 vaccine cards with them to provide proof of inoculation against the virus.

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The Illinois Department of Public Health on Wednesday launched a new immunization portal dubbed Vax Verify that will allow residents to access their COVID-19 vaccination record online.

“As more businesses, events, organizations, and others require proof of vaccination, Illinois residents will be able to confirm using Vax Verify that they have been vaccinated for COVID-19,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike in a statement. “With the current surge in cases, more people are making the decision to get a COVID-19 vaccine and this new tool will aid residents in confirming their vaccination where needed.”

Nearly 6.5 million Illinois residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with more than 7 million receiving at least one dose of a vaccine, according to IDPH vaccine data.

In order to download proof of vaccination, residents must go through a brief, one-time identity verification process to gain access to their immunization history, according to officials. The state of Illinois uses the credit reporting company Experian as its identity verification provider. If an individual has a freeze on their credit, they will need to unfreeze it with Experian and wait 24 hours before completing the registration process. Once registration is complete, individuals can re-freeze their credit by contacting Experian.

After the verification process, individuals can see their own record in the Illinois Comprehensive Automated Immunization Registry Exchange (I-CARE), according to officials, who say immunizations are confidential and can only be accessed by the individual they belong to. Residents with common names will need to take additional steps to securely prove their identities.

The announcement comes a day before the Illinois State Fair opens in Springfield, which requires proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for access to some events

Contact Kristen Thometz: @kristenthometz (773) 509-5452  [email protected]


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