Looking for a vaccine card in Alberta? You won't need a MyHealth Records account after all

CALGARY -

The provincial government, with less than 24 hours to go before new COVID-19 guidelines come into force in Alberta, made it simpler for residents to acquire a document proving they've been vaccinated.

Instead of working through the MyHealth Records account system, the government has rolled out a streamlined method bypassing registration for the service, which was plagued by technical issues as late as last week.

By entering your health card number, date of birth and the month when you acquired at least one of the doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, the system provides a downloadable and printable record in seconds.

The card displays all the relevant information about the vaccine, including the type and the date when it was administered. It's also available to all Albertans aged 12 years old and up.

It does not provide a QR code or any other health records about the patient.

However, anyone who's received their shot recently may not be able to access their information, the province's website says.

"It can take up to three weeks for your online records to be updated after your vaccination. If your record isn’t in the system, use the paper copy from your appointment and try again later."

Any Albertans who don't acquire a printable card or through the MyHealth Records process can still use their existing immunization records as proof of vaccination, the province says.

"Work is also underway to make proof of vaccination available through a QR code. A QR code will be an easier, faster and more secure way to share the immunization record when needed. The QR code is expected to be available in the coming weeks."

PHONY CARDS AN ISSUE?

While many Albertans were already praising the convenience and speed of the printable vaccination documents, others highlighted what they saw as a flaw.

People noted how easy it was to build a fraudulent proof of vaccination using a simple tool available on most computers.

The provice says "motivated individuals" definitely have the power to create a false immunization record, but it's against the law to do so.

"It’s important to point out that falsifying a health record is an offense under Health Information Act," said Amanda Krumins, assistant communications director for Alberta Health in an email to CTV News.

"That said, we know the vast majority of Albertans will use the system properly and adhere to the legal requirements set out in the current public health orders."