Blockchain goes deep into "health code" verification and vaccine counterfeiting

Recently, Singapore’s Government Technology Agency (GovTech) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) have collaborated to develop a blockchain-based document verification system to provide proof of negative COVID-19 tests.

The system, called "HealthCerts", is based on the open source framework OpenAuthentication (OA), which can use blockchain technology to issue encrypted credentials and can run independently without proprietary software or equipment. Currently, the technology has been used by some local universities in Singapore to issue and certify diplomas.

It is reported that from March 10, all individuals who undergo nucleic acid testing in Singapore will have to use digital certification documents in the HealthCerts model. Passengers need to go to a specific location for nucleic acid testing before boarding, and the results will be uploaded to the government website (http://www.notarise.gov.sg/). Passengers then have to go to the website for notarization and upload the digital documents they received from the clinic. After successful notarization, passengers will receive a notarized digital PDT certificate containing a QR code via email or the SingPass Mobile (SPM) application.

During immigration inspection, passengers present the notarized QR code of the PDT certificate to airline staff or immigration authorities for verification. Airline staff or immigration authorities can scan the QR code through the "GovTech" verification platform to check the authenticity of the PDT certificate.

According to Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, the technology is "globally interoperable" and is hoped to be promoted and applied around the world to meet people's cross-border travel needs.

Singapore's Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) said in a statement that it has worked with the private sector to develop interoperable solutions, promising that the technology is secure, private and tamper-proof.

Of course, an individual’s data remains private, as what is posted to the blockchain is the hash or digital fingerprint of the digital PDT certificate, and the hash value is only used to check the authenticity and validity of the digital PDT certificate.

The Singapore government believes that the use of HealthCerts can also be extended to vaccination certificates. However, although the World Economic Forum lists identity authentication as one of the four major predictions for blockchain in 2021, the World Health Organization currently recommends that COVID-19 vaccination should not be a mandatory entry condition.

The Singapore government is closely following the latest international developments on the use of digital vaccination certificates and is discussing the recognition of such certificates with the International Civil Aviation Organization and various countries. However, since most countries and regions have just started vaccination, there may not be clear results in the short term.

In addition to test certificates, another thing closely related to the epidemic is the vaccine.

One year into the coronavirus pandemic, scientists have successfully developed a vaccine, but the healthcare system still faces severe challenges in the storage and transportation of COVID-19 vaccines. The unprecedented market demand for COVID-19 vaccines has made technological upgrades in this field a new necessity.

For example, Moderna's vaccine needs to be stored at -20°C for a long time, but it can remain active in a transportation environment of 2°C to 4°C. However, Pfizer's vaccine requires a stable environment of -70°C. Once it is exposed to a higher temperature, the vaccine will quickly lose its effectiveness, and the existing global logistics system can hardly meet this condition.

In addition, faced with strong market demand, there will always be unscrupulous businessmen who want to make money from disasters. Criminals may forge vaccines and put them on the market in large quantities. At the same time, the vaccination process is also relatively complicated. The vaccine recipient needs two injections to truly gain immunity, and the second injection of the vaccine needs to be completed within a few weeks after the first injection. If the interval is too long, re-vaccination may be required.

In this case, what role can blockchain technology play?

Faced with the challenges of vaccine delivery, hospitals in the UK have begun to use new and important technologies to deliver vaccines from the factory's low-temperature workshops to the public as quickly as possible.

British hospitals in Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick in central England are working to use blockchain technology to track vaccine distribution and monitor the low-temperature freezers where vaccines are stored. In this way, hospitals can keep a close eye on the temperature-sensitive COVID-19 vaccine, especially its storage and distribution.

The UK National Health Service (NHS) publishes treatments, while UK data analytics company Everyware monitors vaccines. Hedera, a Texas-based ledger company, reports that blockchain can enhance the ability to record, save and share data across multiple chains.

With the help of the characteristics of blockchain's decentralized ledger, a close coordination channel can be formed between vaccine distributors, vaccine suppliers and ordinary people who have not yet been vaccinated. The entire process from vaccine production to distribution can be converted into a clear "picture" to prevent counterfeit vaccines from entering the market.

Mark Treshock, head of blockchain solutions at IBM, believes that as demand for vaccines increases in the future, logistics companies may need to prove the availability of specific batches of vaccines, especially to prove that the vaccines are always transported and distributed under safe and compliant conditions.

However, blockchain alone is not enough to solve the problem, and other technologies are still needed.

IoT technology will play a vital role in the strict environmental temperature requirements of vaccines. Sensors will be installed on vaccine containers to track the status of containers and continuously report transportation environment data, including temperature, vibration, humidity and even the acceleration of the delivery vehicle during the journey.

This technology can ensure that medical service providers and vaccine distributors can accurately grasp the temperature of the container and quickly determine the quality of the vaccine when the temperature exceeds the safe storage range, greatly reducing the possibility of vaccine loss and even subsequent risks. The powerful combination of blockchain and the Internet of Things will successfully prevent the vaccination population from being exposed to counterfeit products.

For logistics companies, now may be a good opportunity to invest in new technologies to adapt to the delivery of new coronavirus vaccines.