With new freedoms for fully vaccinated people on the horizon in New South Wales, you'll soon need to be able to prove your status.
There are a few ways you can show that you've been inoculated, which may be used in the future to allow entry into restaurants, bars, and other venues.
The first instance in Australia in which vaccinated people will have more freedoms than the rest of the population will be in NSW.
READ MORE: More freedoms for fully vaccinated in NSW: What you need to know
From September 13, people in certain parts of Greater Sydney will be allowed to spend time in groups outdoors with other fully vaccinated adults.
You can get an immunisation history statement or COVID-19 digital certificate to show proof of your vaccinations.
So, how do you prove you've been vaccinated?
Medicare and MyGov
One way you can prove your vaccination status is through your Medicare online account, or the Express Plus Medicare app on your phone.
To get to the Medicare website and log in you need to go through your MyGov account, if you have these accounts linked.
Once you're logged in to MyGov, find the "My Services" section and click on Medicare.
You'll be redirected to Medicare. From there click on "History and Statements", and then choose "Immunisation History" from the drop-down menu.
That will bring up your history and your COVID-19 vaccine should be listed there.
Once it is available, a COVID-19 digital certificate will also appear here.
On the Express Plus Medicare app follow the same steps. Login, under "Services" click "Immunisation History".
Here you can view your immunisation history, and this is also where the COVID-19 Digital Certificate will be once it's issued.
Adding your COVID-19 digital certificate to a digital wallet
If you're eligible for Medicare, you can add your COVID-19 digital certificate to your Apple Wallet or Google Pay using either:
- the Express Plus Medicare mobile app
- your Medicare online account through myGov using a browser on your device
If you're using the Express Plus Medicare mobile app:
- select Immunisation history from Services
- select your name, then View COVID-19 digital certificate
- select either Add to Apple Wallet or Save to phone for Google Pay
If you're using your Medicare online account through myGov:
- sign in to your myGov account using a browser on your device
- select Medicare
- select View immunisation history on the Immunisation history tile
- select your name
- select either Add to Apple Wallet or Save to phone for Google Pay
What if I can't get it online?
If you're unable to access the Medicare app or any of these systems online, other options are available.
Your vaccination provider can print your immunisation history statement for you.
You can also call the Australian Immunisation Register and ask them to send your statement to you. It can take up to 14 days to arrive in the post.
What if I'm not eligible for Medicare?
If you're not eligible for Medicare you can add your COVID-19 digital certificate to your digital wallet using the Individual Healthcare Identifiers service (IHI service) through myGov.
If you're using the IHI service through myGov:
- sign in to your myGov account using a browser on your device.
- select Individual Healthcare Identifiers service.
- select View immunisation history on the Immunisation history tile.
- select either Add to Apple Wallet or Save to phone for Google Pay.
If you're using an iOS device, you can use either the Safari or Chrome browsers. If you're using an Android device, you need to use the Chrome browser.
What if I've had my vaccine but it's not listed?
Immunisations may take "a few days" to appear on your record, Medicare says.
If your COVID-19 vaccinations aren't showing after 10 days, or can't be updated by the provider, call the Australian Immunisation Register.
