Today, blockchain ticketing platform TIXnGO launched a mobile health certificate solution to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown as life slowly returns to normal. Called Health n Go, the application will help identify immune individuals through these digital certificates. However, TIXnGO avoided using the terms immunity and immunity passport in the announcement and said it’s up to governments how it would be used.
Swiss-based TIXnGO was developed by ticketing firm SecuTix and is working with UK’s Lancashire County Cricket Club to issue blockchain tickets for its 2020 fixtures as well as UEFA for European football. The brands are part of the Swiss based group ELCA.
A health certificate issued by a registered doctor or health authority will be stored in the mobile blockchain wallet and will carry a unique digital identity. Each certificate will have a digital signature from the issuing organization. So, the blockchain will essentially verify that the certificate came from a trusted source.
For verification, the app will show a QR code on request, which can be scanned to check if it is authentic. The company said it is using AI and blockchain systems to monitor patterns and attempted fraud. It can also revoke a health certificate if required.
“In light of the coronavirus crisis, we can see a potential role for the secure delivery of personal digital assets such as a health certificate,” said Frédéric Longatte, CEO of TIX n GO and Health n Go. “It isn’t for us to define the precise use of this technology, that is a decision to be taken by governments.”
Health n Go is said to comply with GDPR regulations for health data management. A few weeks ago, the European Parliament, in a statement, demanded that stringent data privacy and decentralized structure be adopted for apps developed to fight COVID-19. Health n Go is currently engaged in pilots with Swiss companies and civil and military organizations.
While there is the mention of health certificate, the company does not clarify what details it will entail, such as a test result or a vaccination confirmation. The COVID Credentials Initiative (CCI), whose participants include Evernym, ID2020, uPort, Microsoft, ConsenSys, and several others, is working on blockchain-based immunity passports.
Other platforms include QDX Heath ID developed by nanotechnology firm Quantum Materials Corp and UK’s Open University’s solution, which uses a solid pod to store the immunity data.
