Alberta's new proof-of-vaccination cards can be easily edited, residents say
Albertans needing proof they're vaccinated against COVID-19 were able to download cards from the province's website on Sunday, but almost right away some residents said they were easily able to edit them.
Dan Shugar, who lives in Calgary, says the card was in a PDF file which he was able to edit to say his name was “Fakus McFakeFace” and that he'd received doses of “Ivermectin Horsey Paste” and “Bleach.”
He says all of the fields could be edited and making changes was “mindbogglingly easy.”
The government announced the availability of the cards in a news release on Sunday, a day before its “restrictions exemption program” launches.
The program allows businesses and venues to operate without capacity limits and other public health measures if they require proof of vaccination or a negative test result from anyone entering.
Health ministry spokeswoman Amanda Krumins acknowledges in an email that “a motivated individual” can edit the PDF, but that “work continues on a more secure QR code that will be available in the coming weeks.”
“It's important to point out that falsifying a health record is an offense under (the) Health Information Act,” Krumins wrote.
“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.”
Premier Jason Kenney had opposed a vaccine passport over what he said were privacy concerns, but said last week it has become a necessary measure to protect Alberta's hospitals that face the prospect of being overwhelmed in the pandemic's fourth wave.
Kenney said in a Facebook live video on Thursday night that since he announced the passport system, COVID-19 vaccine bookings have nearly tripled in the province.
Many people, however, reported difficulty in obtaining the required proof they'd been vaccinated in the days that followed the announcement.
Prior to the cards becoming available on Sunday, Albertans had the option of either showing sheets of paper they'd received when they got their shots, or signing up for a system that would allow them to view their vaccine records online.
The latter option required many people to sign up for a digital ID, and people who tried said they faced long, frustrating delays due to the system being overwhelmed.
The province says the new cards can be downloaded with an Alberta Health number, without the need for creating an online account and with minimal or no wait time.
It says Albertans will still be able to use their existing immunization records, including those received at their vaccination.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Calgary police shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers dealt with a distraught individual. The incident lasted almost 20 hours.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.