Coronavirus vaccines are here and expected to be widely distributed to the U.S. population in a matter of months. This will allow something like normalcy to resume in American life, as well as the return of some things, such as movie theaters and live concert venues, that have been on pause for much of the last year.

Once that happens, many such places will be faced with the question of how, exactly, those who have received the vaccine can provide proof of having done so. There’s been talk, since the start of the pandemic, of doing so with an app, with something called COVID Pre-Check being announced back in May. However, that app is not currently listed in the App Store. 

However, something kind of like that is indeed on the way, at least in one major city. 

According to Bloomberg News, those receiving the coronavirus vaccine in Los Angeles “will be offered a digital record that will help ensure they get a second shot and could, eventually, be used to gain access to concert venues or airline flights.” The health organization Healthvana has partnered with the county on the venture, which will allow users to get the certification in both Apple Wallet and Google’s equivalent. 

It’s not clear when similar efforts will roll out in other places, and there has been no indication that the federal government is preparing a national version of any such thing. Some countries, such as Hungary and Iceland, have put such plans in place, especially in the context of international travel and letting travelers in from abroad, CNN reported. 

Los Angeles Country is the most populous county in the United States and has already administrated nearly forty thousand doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which, per Bloomberg, is more than half of its allotment. 

Healthvana, which has been around for around six years, was long associated with helping those with HIV to obtain test results and manage their condition. More recently, Healthvana has assisted Los Angeles with contact tracing efforts. 

While immunity passports, or something like them, could potentially be useful when it comes to returning society to normalcy, ethical questions have been raised about the questions of inequality that could arise when some Americans have an immunity designation and others do not. It’s highly likely, for instance, that those with more money and connections will have easier access to such passports. 

“Experts warn that going down this route could create new problems, including discrimination in workplaces, or people deliberately trying to get infected so they can return to their jobs sooner, ‘playing Russian roulette’ with their lives,” according to a CNN analysis published in the spring. 

Stephen Silver, a technology writer for the National Interest, is a journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.

Image: Reuters