Digital Vaccine Proof? Walmart's On It

Walmart is offering customers who were vaccinated against COVID-19 at a Walmart or Sam's Club pharmacy or a Walmart-run vaccination event digital proof of their vaccination status.

Walmart's digital COVID-19 vaccine record is an online version of the vaccination cards issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, containing the vaccinated individual's name, vaccination date(s) and location(s), and the manufacturer and lot number for the vaccine administered. Customers can print their record, save it, share it and/or request to receive it as a QR code through their Walmart or Sam's Club online account. 

Currently, only customers ages 18 or older can access a digital copy of their Walmart vaccination record. Walmart plans in the future to allow parents and guardians to access vaccination records for those younger than 18 and to let families bundle their records for easy access—should they need to show proof of vaccination for, say, international travel.

The move to expand Walmart users' digital access to health records including, but not limited to, COVID-19 vaccination records is about "empowering people ... through a free, secure digital wallet that they own," Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart said in a news release. If individuals choose to do so, they can share select digital health records securely and following all HIPAA guidelines with another provider or compatible service.

"We are committed to giving people convenient, secure access to their health data, starting with COVID-19 vaccine immunization records," said Cheryl Pegus, Walmart EVP of health and wellness. "Our tool gives individuals a safe method to privately keep track of this information on their smartphone or computer, while also encouraging them to take ownership of their health data by determining exactly where, when or if they share their documentation."