Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé provided an update on the province’s COVID-19 immunization campaign on Tuesday afternoon, including new details surrounding the vaccine passport system.
The new system comes into effect on Sept. 1 and proof of vaccination will be required for those aged 13 and over, who wish to access non-essential services such as restaurants, bars, gyms, cinemas, festivals and close contact sports including school extracurriculars.
The passport, however, will not be required for retail stores.
Dubé announced Quebecers will be able to download the VaxiCode application on the Apple App Store starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.
It is expected to be made available on Google Play in the following hours or days, Dubé indicated.
The application consists of a QR code with the only information shown being the person’s name, date of birth and received vaccines.
Businesses will also have to download an app called VaxiCode Verif, in order to be able to read the QR code.
READ MORE: Quebec officials to give update on back-to-school plan as COVID-19 cases rise
Pilot projects to test the system have been ongoing in several businesses across the province to assess its operability and robustness.
“The tests were very conclusive,” Dubé said. “It works very well.”
A wallet size QR code will also be made available in paper format, Dubé said, for those who might find digital technologies more difficult to use. It can also be printed out on your home computer.
Dubé, however, warned that anyone attempting to tamper with the system could face penalties and sanctions, including sanctions under the Criminal Code.
On Monday, Dubé said on Twitter Quebecers are continuing to be vaccinated in the thousands, at both walk-in and appointment only clinics.
“The vaccine is an insurance policy, it allows to decrease the number of cases and hospitalizations and decreases the gravity of the symptoms,” he wrote in French.
He added that with another school year about to begin it’s important to have a maximum protection.
To date, Quebec has given more than 12. 1 million injections. Officials say 78.5 per cent of Quebecers aged 12 and older are considered adequately vaccinated.
— With files from Global News’ Kalina Laframboise, Alessia Maratta and Olivia O’Malley
© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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