A unified mobile app for COVID-19 prevention and control has been launched by the Vietnamese government.

Among major features, the PC-Covid Vietnam app, now available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, provides a COVID-19 card which serves as a travel and social pass for fully COVID-19 vaccinated or recovered individuals. 

It also stores a user's single personal QR code; records their movement for contact tracing; enables them to sign health declaration forms; provides a map of places with high risk of infections; and information on COVID-19 vaccinations and news about the pandemic.

WHY IT MATTERS

This latest government app was launched following an order by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính to unify separate mobile apps for vaccine certificates, travel permits, health declaration and contact tracing into one platform for the sake of convenience. 

The PC-Covid app combines the functionalities of existing COVID-19-related apps in the country, such as the Vietnam Health Declaration app, Bluetooth-powered COVID-19 contact tracing and alert app Bluezone and NCOVI, a mobile app where users can update their health status.

THE LARGER TREND

A COVID-19 immunisation management platform recently went live in Vietnam to aid the government's mass vaccination drive. Developed by military-backed telecommunications firm Viettel, the platform comprises four systems: an e-health record app, a COVID-19 vaccination information portal, a national vaccination support system and a response centre. The system handles registrations for COVID-19 immunisation and tracks vaccination records.