How Vaccine QR Codes Aid in Verifying Immunization Records

Vaccine QR codes are helping governments create safer environments for their citizens.

The global roll-out of digital COVID-19 vaccine records introduces QR codes to quickly verify vaccine status and authenticate the vaccination card of an immunized individual.

Today, they continue to be a staple in health-related services worldwide, with trusted QR code generators allowing governments, agencies, and health organizations to create legitimate QR codes for vaccines.

Continue reading to understand more about the integration of QR codes in immunizations.

Many governments adopted the QR code for verification during the COVID-19 pandemic to streamline entry at airports, workplaces, and public venues.

The QR code serves as an authentication tool for the certification, guarding its integrity against forged copies, illegal distribution, and inconsistent vaccination reports.

QR code statistics before and after COVID-19 show a significant increase in their adoption, particularly in healthcare, where they help verify vaccine authenticity and streamline record-keeping.

You can use your smartphone to access the QR code and check whether the details of the vaccine distributed are reliable and legit. 

For example, the dynamic URL QR code on vaccine cards leads to a landing page from the government or a health agency, showing the information and health status of the vaccine card holder. 

A QR code vaccine card or certificate provides a secure and scannable way to verify an individual’s vaccination status for travel, work, or entry into public venues.

The integration of QR codes in healthcare services solves issues of duplicity and falsification of vaccine records.

How to get a QR code for the COVID-19 vaccine

Depending on where you are located, you may request a QR code for your immunization certificate from your local government or health agency.

Some countries may require you to download an app and use its QR code generator to create a QR for your vaccination. Others provide it readily for their citizens and residents.

Reminder: Only use the vaccination QR code provided by official government health offices or their affiliated hospitals.

How QR codes assist in vaccination roll outs

QR codes are easy-to-use tools to use in regulating vaccination roll-out drives.

One advantage of QR codes is their simple generation and ease of use.

Furthermore, QR codes can be decoded quickly using a QR code scanner, making them more efficient than traditional barcodes. 

They can store more information, allowing vaccine details to be embedded on vials and providing digital pamphlets about medical immunization.

Many countries introduced a QR code for COVID vaccine to verify vaccination status quickly and securely during the pandemic.

It is a reliable tool to verify vaccine distribution and provide legitimacy to its medical use.

Integrating QR codes into vaccination identification cards for immunized individuals in your country instills regulatory protocols.

Governments that incorporate vaccine QR codes on certificates and health cards

The dissemination of a travel QR code with vaccination details is very useful to maintain security and safety for every individual in a certain country.

Here are some countries that incorporate QR codes for their vaccines and vaccination roll-out drives:

United States 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a public health agency of the United States federal government, allows users to access their COVID-19 vaccination certificate and generate a QR code as proof of vaccination.

When the health care provider records your vaccine dose in the agency’s Vaccine Administration Management System, the certificate is automatically created. 

The information in the certificates includes vaccine date, manufacturer, clinic name, and lot number.

Meanwhile, California residents can get a Digital Vaccine Record (DVR) through the state’s official vaccine record website. 

The DVR contains a scannable QR code. This code can later be used for digital verification. 

European Union

The EU regulation establishing the EU digital COVID certificate was valid from 1 July 2021 until 30 June 2023.

The EU citizens vaccinated, tested negative, or recovered from COVID-19 were issued a digital certificate.

The certificate consists of a QR code and a digital signature. To check the certificate, the QR code could be scanned. 

Ontario QR code 

In Ontario, Canada, the government implements enhanced vaccine certification with an official QR code and launches the free app “Verify Ontario.”

These offer an easier, more secure, and more convenient proof of vaccination to their residents.

They also help businesses and organizations to quickly verify immunizations while protecting people’s privacy.

Saskatchewan Government

Residents of Saskatchewan in Western Canada can use their COVID-19 vaccine card as supporting documentation when updating or verifying their immunization records.

A MySaskHealthRecord account at Saskatchewan Government eHealth provides a new format for COVID-19 vaccination records, including a Quick Response (QR) Code.

It has available information about the person’s immunization if they have been vaccinated outside the province or if their immunization record is missing.

Quebec Government

Quebec uses the VaxiCode application for its digital proof of vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government also uses vaccine passport QR codes. The code imports information from the application. It reveals less personal information.

The implementation of a vaccine passport helped avoid widespread infection of the virus.

Update: As of April 19, 2025, the Government of Quebec no longer requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination for travel outside the city. The VaxiCode app has been phased out. 

Netherlands Government

In the Netherlands, citizens can convert their proof of vaccination into a COVID certificate using the CoronaCheck QR Code.

This serves as a gate pass for an individual to travel within the European Union or Schengen and to enter events, food, and drink venues in the Netherlands.

On how to get a QR code for the COVID-19 vaccine, the Dutch authorities instruct to either download the app or go to the CoronaCheck.nl website and log in using DigiD, an identity management platform used by government agencies in the country.

Then, people must upload any proof they have, such as proof of vaccination, proof of recovery, or negative test results. The app or website automatically creates a QR code.

Philippines’ Vax Cert

The official Philippine COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate—called VaxCertPH—is digital proof of vaccination issued by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

The agency's vaccination certificate contains a QR code. The code can be used to verify the vaccination using an online or offline system.

To verify the QR code, users can visit the VaxCertPH website or install the eGovPH mobile app to scan it.

Government of India

The Government of India launched the COVID-19 Vaccine Intelligence Network (CoWIN) on January 16 2021.

CoWIN serves the function of registration, appointment scheduling, identity verification, vaccination and certification of each vaccinated member.

CoWIN issues a digitally verifiable vaccination certificate featuring a QR code. It enables secure and efficient proof of vaccination.

Government of Nepal

When an individual gets vaccinated in Nepal, they can get a COVID-19 vaccination certificate with a QR code through the government’s official portal. 

The QR code is linked to the official record stored in Nepal’s vaccine management system. 

It is used to digitally verify vaccination status, especially for international travel and official purposes.

The QR code also helps prevent fraud or document tampering.

Laos Government

In Laos, health authorities launched a new enhanced COVID-19 vaccination certificate with a QR code that allows the immunized individual to have greater authenticity and digital verification.

Benefits of using QR codes for vaccines and immunizations

QR codes have been very helpful in securing and regulating vaccines and vaccination roll-out drives worldwide.

Here are some of the essential uses of QR codes in immunizations.

Prove the authenticity of the vaccine

Since the COVID-19 pandemic lasted three years, it was difficult to prove whether the medicine is reliable for human consumption.

With the help of QR codes, healthcare brands are able to redirect healthcare professionals and patients to a custom landing page with essential vaccine information.

It shows the chemicals used inside the vaccine, its allergen factors, and other factors beneficial to human curiosity.

Quick access and verification of vaccination records

QR codes on vaccination cards make it easy to confirm someone’s vaccination status with just a quick scan.

Some Asian Pacific countries use QR codes for their vaccination identification cards instead of printing them on physical cards.

They already store necessary information about the immunizations an individual has received during their primary and current years.

There is no need to manually check documents or enter data. It saves time at airports, workplaces, or event venues.

Fraud prevention 

Paper vaccine certifications can be lost, damaged, or even forged. Since QR codes are digital databases, they are secure and authentic. 

Scanning the QR code will reveal real time data, making it harder for fake records to pass through checks.

You can also ensure that personal health information remains confidential and protected from phishing attacks by using a password.

Integration with apps

QR codes can be stored and scanned via apps like Apple Wallet or government health apps, making them easier to carry. 

Health providers and authorities can also sync QR data with vaccination databases or contact-tracing platforms, making it a seamless digital experience. 

Looking for a reliable QR generator? QR TIGER is the answer

QR TIGER is the best QR code generator for creating reliable and secure QR codes, offering various solutions for different purposes. 

It is an ISO-27001-certified and GDPR compliant software, ensuring that every user’s data is protected.

The software has helped governments, healthcare businesses, and over 850,000 brands worldwide create secure and reliable QR codes. 

The QR TIGER app, available on both the App Store and Google Play Store, offers users a seamless, easy QR code scanner to access their vaccination cards.

If you're looking for a QR code software to support vaccination rollouts in your locale or country, QR TIGER is your best option.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Log in to QR TIGER.
2. Select a solution and input the link or details.
3. Generate the QR code.
4. Customize the QR code with a logo.
5. Download.

The growing importance of QR codes in vaccines and immunization efforts

COVID-19 was a pandemic that changed our reality. As millions of diseases continue to emerge, governments and health organizations around the world are prompt to implement countermeasures to contain them.

Vaccine QR codes play a crucial role in recording, tracking, and verifying immunization records, educating people about the importance of vaccines in preventing diseases, and promoting transparency on the kind of vaccines in the market.

With advanced QR code generators ready to aid these initiatives, access to health-related information, not just for vaccinations, continues to be easier for governments and citizens worldwide.

FAQ

How to scan COVID vaccine QR code?

A smartphone can scan the QR code on a vaccination card. Open your camera app and focus the lens on the QR code. Then, click on the link that appears on the screen to access the data. 

Do I need a COVID vaccine certificate to travel to Singapore?

If you are a fully vaccinated individual, you don’t need a COVID vaccine certificate to visit Singapore.