UK govt draws a blank over vaccine certification app – no really, the report is half-empty
- Reference: 1626198303
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/07/13/uk_vaccine_certificate_report/
- Source link:
Much to [1]the derision of expert commentators on social media , the COVID-Status Certification Review details the government's approach to so-called vaccine passports and its response to concerns over their usage.
The 16-page report includes two title pages, a back page, four blank pages and a contents page. Its findings, which make up less than seven pages, conclude with a statement that the government will not mandate the use of COVID-status certification as a condition of entry for visitors to any setting at the present time.
[2]
"Any decision to require COVID-status certification will be a discretionary choice for individual organisations to make. However, it is possible that certification could provide a means of keeping events going and businesses open if the country is facing a difficult situation in autumn or winter," it said.
[3]
[4]
The report said the government would make the NHS COVID Pass, accessed via the NHS App, available so that individuals can prove their status.
However, that would not be the only means to demonstrate vaccine status. A browser version and paper letter – which can be requested through the NHS.UK website or by ringing 119 – could also be used, it suggested.
[5]
"This flexibility is an important part of the inclusiveness of the NHS COVID Pass, and events to date show individuals using the range of options, not just the NHS App," [6]the report [PDF] said.
[7]PPE, Part II: UK health department takes second stab at e-commerce system for personal protective equipment
[8]I was fired for telling ICO of Serco track and trace data breach, claims sacked worker
[9]UK health secretary Matt Hancock follows delay to GP data grab with campaign called 'Data saves lives'
[10]Of all the analytics firms in the world, why is Palantir getting its claws into UK health data?
In May, [11]people in England were allowed to use the NHS App to confer their vaccination status , despite warnings from campaigners that it could lead to identifiable medical information being exposed. The NHS App began its rollout in January 2019, well before the pandemic, and is connected to GP practice systems. It is designed to help users book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, and view medical records.
The consultation on the wider use of vaccine passports [12]began in March while in April [13]reports suggested the app-based certificate would go ahead, but not for schools, restaurants, pubs, non-essential retail, gyms, and nail salons. It was expected to be mandatory for large events, such as sports and concerts.
Although the step back might be welcomed by campaigners, concerns remain over the voluntary use of the NHS App for vaccine certification.
In April, 78 MPs and 11 Lords – including former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey – [14]backed a campaign by Big Brother Watch which said: "We oppose the divisive and discriminatory use of COVID status certification to deny individuals access to general services, businesses or jobs."
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The [16]Big Brother Watch report [PDF] argued that widespread use of the app-based vaccine certificates could lead to privacy intrusion which would "change not only long-held expectations of medical confidentiality but the way that society operates as a whole."
The campaign group's report said using the NHS App for COVID certificates would be a concern as it is linked to individuals' identities and information in NHS records including a wealth of identifiable, sensitive information such as NHS numbers.
"Using the NHS App for proof of a vaccine comes with a significant further privacy risk due to the wealth of other personal information available within it, from prescriptions to addresses, and these issues are yet to be addressed," it said.
The Cabinet Office report on COVID-status certification said it had "considered a wide range of evidence as part of the review" and "recognises the concerns expressed over certification" but does not mention privacy. Perhaps those concerns are expected to fill in the blanks. ®
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[1] https://twitter.com/EinsteinsAttic/status/1414857309776498693
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YO4M-qF1yvxgNVWWVsYD1AAAANQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YO4M-qF1yvxgNVWWVsYD1AAAANQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YO4M-qF1yvxgNVWWVsYD1AAAANQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YO4M-qF1yvxgNVWWVsYD1AAAANQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/999408/COVID-Status-Certification-Review-Report.pdf
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/05/ppe_contract_uk_health_dept/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/28/serco_track_trace_claim_tribunal/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/22/uk_health_secretary_data_saves_lives/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/15/palantir_uk_sci_tech_committee/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/05/11/nhs_app_vaccine_passport_england/
[12] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/covid-status-certification-review-call-for-evidence/covid-status-certification-review-call-for-evidence
[13] https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14774250/brits-buy-a-pint-without-vaccine-passport/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/28/covid_status_certificates_uk
[15] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YO4M-qF1yvxgNVWWVsYD1AAAANQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[16] https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Access-Denied-Big-Brother-Watch.pdf
[17] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: OPtion?
No, this can be easily forged!
Whereas with the app passport, someone would have to create an app that looks and behaves like real and shows the vaccine passport - which is of course totally impossible and would never happen!
Also people looking at the app will totally without any doubt spot the fake.
Re: OPtion?
Given that the NHS app uses QR codes for both the travel and event passes I assumed that there'd be a corresponding reader or app that could validate them, thereby making fakes much more difficult. However, a quick Google around didn't reveal anything that can be used by pubs, clubs, etc., and there's nothing obvious in the Apple app store, so I don't really understand how this is going to work properly. The passes can be downloaded as pdf., for printing out by users without a smart phone, so once you've seen one it's trivial to mock up a fake.
Maybe the validation app/reader is a work in progress?
Re: OPtion?
"Maybe the validation app/reader is a work in progress?"
Not until it's urgently needed. A half-arsed version will then be delivered more or leas working, for some values of working, 8 to 10 months later.
I'm an optimist, I see the report as being half-full.
Imagine the pain some poor soul had to go through staring at empty pages and then submit to their manager that this is all they could come up with...
The very thought makes me cringe.
Reminds me of O-Level Geography homework.
The characters in the report...
...are merely social distancing.
App based stuff, and if someone steals my phone ?
Lose or have the phone stolen if it's unlocked with an app based system and someone then gets access to
lots of juicy info.
No thanks.
Re: App based stuff, and if someone steals my phone ?
That's the least of your worries if you have your phone set up as your credit and debit cards, calendar, address book (how many telephone numbers of friends and family can't you actually remember correctly?) Then you have no access to you bank accounts, email, FB, LinkedIn etc. etc.
Back-ups apply to phones as well as your company's 70 Terrrabyte* datastore. Of course if you back up your phone to the 'cloud' be aware that sometimes the cloud does go up in flames like a certain European data store:
https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/15/ovh_restoration_roadmap/
*Don't bother with the porn, that will resurrect itself organically, just saving the 20Mbytes of actual company data will do.
Re: App based stuff, and if someone steals my phone ?
I have to use TouchID to access the NHS app, so in theory, it has the same level of security as my Apple Pay credit card and banking app.
Blank pages
Just like Boris's 'oven-ready' Brexit agreement, and his fully worked out social care policy. Presumably a 'cut and paste' from one of those documents.
They've used cut and paste before, after all:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/03/brexit-freight-ferry-firm-appears-all-geared-up-to-deliver-pizzas
If had the energy I'd despair.
Here in the EU...
Just had (tiday) my second AZ vaccine in France.
Received my French/EU proof of vaccination at the session
Scanned proof into my "AntiCovid" app (acts as passport)
Downloaded my "colourful" version of paper form from my Ameli.fr (aka NHS) account onto phone, my PC and my (non Google) cloud.
Also on my "Doctolib" appt booking account.
Why is the UK struggling so much with this?
(Declaration: until 2017 worked in NHS hospitals since 1986)
Re: Here in the EU...
I don't know if the UK is struggling. I had my vaccines and they appeared on the NHS app a few days later. I've got Covid passes on the NHS app on my phone and I've downloaded pdf copies which, like you, I've copied to cloud accounts and also printed out just in case. One thing I don't understand is that the UK passes are only valid for a month, after which they have to be downloaded again. I assume it's in case policy changes or they discover something about vaccine efficacy.
I had my first jab in England, where I work, then the second jab (A-Z) was in Scotland where I was working when it was due
According to the National Health Service app I have only had one jab, as the nations systems cannot talk to each other. The English Covid jab recoding system as linked to payment, so as there i nobody in England to pay there is no mechanism to add my record.
The Scottish system cannot enol me as i am not resident in Scotland.
So I can never have a Covid passport....
I was a similar situation, but emigrated a little further.
Luckily the German doctors decided to 'fake' my first vaccination on the same day so I got my certificate.
Of course now both the NHS and the German vaccination centre now tell me I have pending appointments for a 2nd and 3rd final jab!
This any help?
https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid19status
I'm in Scotland and had both jags here. I could 'recover' my username by putting in the date of my first jag. I then reset the password. I have no recollection of being previously registered (but it's possible). Anyway, thought it might help if it does show any jag received in Scotland as stated!
Only half empty
That’s more content than they normally release.
7 pages of Content out of 16?
*pfft* Lightweights.
Now, in AUSTRALIA, our Queensland gummint managed to squeeze that down to only 3 pages of content in similar (same?) length document. In that case a demand to the Federal gummint for various zillions for a new-build quarantine site. And boy did they scream when Canberra insisted on perhaps a bit more information and analysis.
OPtion?
Errm...what about the appointment card I got from my GP showing the date and batch no of both vaccines?