PHILIPSBURG--The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA Omar Ottley announced the launch of the Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) during the live Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday.
The DCC is a European Union (EU) initiative which will help citizens move freely and safely within the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. The EU Digital COVID Certificate contains a QR (quick response) code with an encrypted signature to protect against falsification.
When the certificate is checked, the QR code is scanned and the signature verified. The personal data of the certificate holder does not pass through the gateway, as this is not necessary to verify the digital signature.
The DCC comes in three forms including a vaccination certificate against coronavirus. The other two forms are; a test certificate - showing that a person received a negative test result- and a proof of recovery certificate showing that a person has recovered from COVID-19. The latter forms will launch later this year.
The DCC can be used digitally or on paper format. It has a secured QR code that will only be assigned to you. It is free of charge and is valid in all EU countries. Non EU countries are also joining this initiative and it is being considered by the USA as well.
To sign-up for your DCC; go to https://services.sintmaartengov.org/. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Request Sint Maarten Digital COVID Certificate”. Lastly, select “Vaccination” and complete the requested information. For a smooth process, you will need your VID number, vaccination card for upload and your email address for delivery of your DCC.
In the event that you do not have your vaccination identification (VID) number, you may obtain it using the self-service link “Don’t know my VID” on the registration page. Persons are able to submit any additional questions or concerns by clicking the “contact us” link button at the bottom of the page. If you prefer to speak with someone over the phone, call 914 and asked to be connected to the DCC Team.
No application (app) is needed for the process. After signup, the DCC will be sent as a PDF attachment to the email address provided. The digital or printed format can be presented for scanning.
A customised “SXM wallet App” will be coming online soon for the convenience of persons wanting to store multiple certificates digitally in a central location.
