Victoria’s Vaccine Economy Launches Regional Passport Trial

Victoria’s vaccine passport trial kicks off Monday across regional areas of the state where high jab uptakes have been recorded.

Conducted across 14 businesses in six LGAs, customers are required to provide proof of their vaccine status using the Service Victoria app on their smartphone.

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Participating businesses include art galleries in Warrnambool, Bairnsdale and Bendigo, pubs in Cowes, Avoca and Wycheproof, real estate agents in Traralgon and Warrnambool as well as a gym and church in Bendigo. 

Deakin University epidemiologist Catherine Bennett said these trials will tests smaller localised transmissions.

“These trials aren’t about saying ‘we had one person pass the virus on, we can’t open cafes’,” she said. “It’s about saying what is the risk of opening cafes if one person is positive, but most people are vaccinated, what does that look like?

“Can we just let that run and not worry about that, unless we see a cluster of transmission, or it’s in the part of the community with low vaccination rates.”

- Prof Bennett

Promising a glimmer of hope, Minister for Tourism, Sport & Major Events Martin Pakula said the trial would work as a test run for the state’s reopening.

“It is a vaccinated economy trial, it’s actually a very important thing for us to do,” Mr Pakula said. “This pandemic has now been running for over 18 months and I think that there is a powerful, powerful emotion and an urge in the community for us to get open.” 

There will always "be critics", the Minister said, but insists that this is a part of a broader message.

"Whether it’s the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Open, the Formula One next year, all of those things I think are a very powerful signal that we are bouncing back"

- Minister Pakula

Pending the outcomes, a second phase of trials will be rolled out with 80 per cent double dose settings prior to Victoria achieving that milestone. 

Meanwhile, new technology will also be trialed allowing a venue to check a patron's vaccination status before allowing them entry.

Accessible through the Service Victoria app a person’s vaccine certification will now be accessible once it is shared from the Commonwealth's MyGov site. 

Go to MyGov or Medicare app, click on vax history, and then click ‘share with check in app’.

You’ll then see two green ticks when you check in.

However, the only trick is you need to update the Services Victoria app in the App Store first.

Click here for further instructions.

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