eGovernment services during COVID-19

In times of COVID-19, citizens have been faced with a range of new obstacles. Cities and processes were drawn to a standstill almost overnight, creating numerous challenges for both governments and citizens. This made it impossible for government services to continue as normal without digital alternatives, commonly referred to as eGovernment services. Various health precautions have had to be adopted, which have greatly affected work environments and how people interact with the rest of society.

While ensuring the containment of the virus by minimizing human contact, in many places it was no longer possible for citizens to physically obtain attested sensitive documents, including in some cases, immunization records and curfew exemptions. Sensitive documents without clear evidence of authenticity further pose a great challenge for those who must be sure of their provenance.

Trust is essential for services to proceed as usual. Whether it is meeting the need for up-to-date health and immunity records or displaying to curfew exemptions to the relevant authorities, a certificate with a digital seal ensures trust in all these situations.

Convenient and trusted digital solution for sensitive documents

The VeriGO® TrueSeal Solution provides an eGovernment-based verification service that supports all sensitive documents, such as immunization records, medical certificates, doctor’s notes, curfew exemptions, travel permits or access passes that permit entry to critical infrastructures – all essential documents with particular significance during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The solution can be rolled out very quickly. It includes a web portal where stakeholders can issue secure, government-attested and universally accepted certificates. Stakeholders could include healthcare professionals, employers, nursing homes, and many others who may need to issue government-approved documentation digitally. VeriGO® TrueSeal can be used in various scenarios: for example, to issue access permits with digital seals for retirement homes to protect those who are at high risk. In a similar way, immunization records can be used as evidence that a person has been vaccinated and can be considered immune.

VeriGO® TrueSeal is a secure solution that relies on a digital seal, which is verified in combination with a physical or digital identity document via the unique document number. A mobile driver’s license (mDL), for example, can be conveniently presented through a smartphone in parallel with the digital seal. The seal does not contain any personal data and it is cryptographically secure. The link to the identity document itself prevents the illegitimate use of the certificate by another person. In addition to being available digitally, the seal can also be printed out.

Digital advancements along with a new normal have not only emphasized the importance for remote access of services but also the potential to integrate eGovernment services to existing infrastructure and processes.