COVID Passport Software Up And Running

Michael Gove may be just starting his assessment of the pros and cons of Covid passports, but one Sheffield tech firm has already added vaccination information to software which is used by tens of thousands of contractors across the UK.

Sheffield-based Reset Compliance Systems has a product which speeds up the process of deciding whether or not to allow external contractors onto a site. Its cardholder software is currently used in more than 300 public and private sector sites nationwide, including NHS hospitals, schools, colleges, airports, manufacturing sites and some national sports grounds.

Now the company has launched an update to allow a person’s Covid 19 vaccination status to be added, giving an organisation the power to decide whether to allow that person to proceed to work on its premises.

The update to its contractor management solution puts the company in the thick of the fight against Coronavirus as the UK seeks to emerge from the worst effects of the pandemic.

Proof of vaccination has been criticised by some human rights groups who fear it will discriminate against those who have not had, cannot have, or do not want, the vaccine.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tasked Mr Gove with weighing the plusses of Covid status certificates against the challenges to civil liberties. But Gary Duce, the managing director, says the pandemic has made change inevitable:

“Anyone who manages contractors on their premises or estate has a legal duty of care to ensure that everyone is kept safe and secure and our software allows them to do this.

“This development allows anyone responsible for bringing contractors onto their site to have visibility of the individual workers’ Covid vaccination status, alongside their qualifications and competences.

“It can be used with our self-service check-in system and, if necessary, a cardholder can be stopped at the gate,” he added.

Contractors using the company's card system upload their qualifications and competences onto their personal card which they can then use to gain almost instant access to a site where they are due to work.

With the vaccine roll-out having so far focussed largely on the retired population, the numbers of contractors using the update are relatively small but, as the vaccination programme extends into the working population Mr Duce expects a rapid take up in the number of contractors registering their status.

“This development allows a Covid vaccination record to be applied against a cardholder’s online profile and offers a quick and efficient method of checking an individual’s status,” added Mr Duce.

Reset was set up in 2008 and employs 22 people.Whilst the system is currently used to monitor the comings and goings of contractors and staff members, Mr Duce says, in the longer term, it could potentially be used to allow the public access to numerous places.“I see no reason why, from a technology point of view, this software couldn’t be used by organisations to allow the public access to places like cinemas, theatres, concerts and sporting events,” he said.