Germany: IOTA and Ethereum-Based Solution Used to Issue Coronavirus Digital Certificates

The German district of Altötting is piloting a digital proof of vaccination project using technology offered by a Cologne-based firm, UBIRCH, becoming the first in the country, news sources on Jan 21 reveals.

UBIRCH‘s IOTA and Ethereum-based Solution Used in Altötting

Beginning this week, the district allows people who have been vaccinated against the zoonotic virus to verify their identity using the UBIRCH solution digitally. The system that can work in various blockchains, including IOTA, will enable people to verify their coronavirus vaccination status on the go, going a long way as part of contagion control.

UBIRCH will issue digital certificates, supplementing physical issuance, only after Pfizer’s second vaccination has been made. For concurrence, the digital certificate will contain all information needed for verification. The certificate will be stored in a tamper-proof blockchain. To access this certificate, a private key will be required, typical in blockchain-based setups.

Presently, vaccinated people will receive a printed code, which can be read out later from mobile. However, these will be saved straight in the mobile phones in days ahead, allowing for better and more convenient proof. Additionally, the technology company will provide communal data centers.

By leveraging the default encryption and anonymity of leading blockchain networks, the security of these digital certificates is guaranteed.

The German district is presently piloting the project, spearheading the fight against a virus that may force an extended lockdown if the infection count rate doesn’t fall. For their effort, the district is setting the pace, allowing others to participate in their collective efforts to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

According to health authorities, the highly contagious virus continues to mutate. The integration of technology comes in handy to properly arrest its spread, especially for countries that have posted early success like Israel.

Solving Problems Using Blockchain

While there was no specific mention of UBIRCH preferred blockchain, there is a trail of evidence that the Cologne-based company often leverages distributed ledger technologies.

In an interview, Matthias Jugel, the CTO of UBIRCH, said they had initially tried out Bitcoin and Ethereum networks.

However, they were put off by their high transaction fees and scalability challenges. They continue using mainstream blockchains, aggregating data to Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, and IOTA networks.

As BTCManager reported, a coronavirus test center at one of Germany’s largest airports uses IOTA to secure travelers’ data.