1. What is PolarisKey? Why do I need it?

PolarisKey is a voluntary program to provide you with a secure digital vaccination record that serves as proof of COVID-19 vaccination. PolarisKey has been designed to make it easy for you to securely share your vaccination status, while maintaining your privacy, with a growing network of vetted local organizations, government services, as we safely reopen businesses and events. Additionally, the portable digital vaccination record can be used to enable and simplify travel experiences.

 

2. Is PolarisKey a vaccine passport?

No, it is not a passport. You are not required to obtain a PolarisKey. PolarisKey is a secure digital vaccine record. It is an optional means to obtain your COVID-19 vaccine information, and is the digital version of your paper vaccine card. It is one of the options to show proof of vaccination. 

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3. How do I get my PolarisKey?

You can request your PolarisKey from the public PolarisKey portal: https://getkey.usvi.care. The portal leverages COVID-19 records from USVI’s  immunization systems. You will be prompted for your name, date of birth, a unique email address, and mobile phone number associated with your vaccination record. For your security and privacy,  a photo of government issued identification and your vaccination card will be requested to verify identity.  You may be prompted to provide more information about your vaccination for verification purposes.  If the information you submitted matches the official record, you will receive an email with a link to access your PolarisKey. 

 

4. What if I can’t find my paper vaccination card?

Please visit the provider who administered your vaccination to request a re-issue of your paper vaccination card. You will need a photo of your  vaccination card to request your PolarisKey from the public PolarisKey portal: https://getkey.usvi.care.  If you’ve lost your paper vaccine card, you may print out your PolarisKey or if you have a smartphone add it to your Apple Wallet or Google Pay.

 

If you don’t receive a link to access your PolarisKey within 72 hours, you can re-enter your information making sure to use  the email and/or phone associated with your vaccine record, and double check that your name and date of birth are correct. If your record still isn’t found, you may need to correct or update your immunization record. Contact the hotline at 340-712-6299 (St. Croix) or 340-776-1519 (St. Thomas/St. John).

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5. What if my vaccination information is incorrect?

If you find any errors in your digital vaccination record please contact us at 340-712-6299 (St. Croix) or 340-776-1519 (St. Thomas/St. John).

 

6. Can I use the portal to request a PolarisKey for all my family members?

Yes, enter the requests one at a time to receive separate links to access each PolarisKey. If you are a parent or guardian of a child younger than 13 years of age, please contact us at 340-712-6299 (St. Croix) or 340-776-1519 (St. Thomas/St. John).

 

7. How do I use PolarisKey?

Once you get a link to access your PolarisKey, you can print out a paper version to place in your wallet, you can take a screenshot to store on your mobile device, save the QR code to your device’s camera roll, or if you have a smartphone add it to your phone’s native wallet app (ex. Google Pay or Apple Wallet). 

When you are at a venue that accepts PolarisKey, present your PolarisKey for scanning. You will also be asked to show your Photo ID.

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8. What happens to my vaccination record when I use my PolarisKey? Will it remain private?

When you share your PolarisKey, the venue only gets a confirmation of your vaccination status. Your vaccination record is not shared. Organizations participating in the PolarisKey network are vetted and require you to consent by presenting your PolarisKey.

 

9. Do I need a smartphone to get a PolarisKey?

No, you can print out a paper version of your PolarisKey to place in your wallet, you can take a screenshot to store on your mobile device, or save the QR code to your device’s camera roll.

 

10. Can I request a PolarisKey if I am not a USVI resident? Will I be issued a PolarisKey if I was vaccinated in a jurisdiction outside USVI?

You do not have to be a USVI resident to request your PolarisKey. As a global Vaccination Credentialing Initiative (VCI) partner, we also accept SMART Health Cards issued by states and provinces like California and Quebec as verification of your vaccination record to issue you your PolarisKey. If you are a USVI resident and received your immunizations outside of the territory, you may also upload your record

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11. What information do I need to share to get my PolarisKey? How does PolarisKey keep this information secure?

You will be prompted for your name, date of birth, a unique email address, and mobile phone number associated with your vaccination record. For your security and privacy,  a photo of government issued identification will be requested to verify identity.  You may be prompted to provide more information about your vaccination for verification purposes. 

To ensure the privacy and security of your health data and personal information, end-to-end encryption is enabled for all communications including data submission, verification, and record retrieval using Transport Level Security (TLS). All of your information when stored is protected by FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2 compliant AES 256 bit encryption. PolarisKey is a HIPAA compliant solution.

 

12. What is the privacy policy for PolarisKey?

Your vaccination record and personal information will not be shared with third parties. PolarisKey enforces a consent culture so you choose to share your vaccination status with vetted organizations that are part of the PolarisKey network.

 

13. Will PolarisKey track my location?

No, PolarisKey does not track your location.

 

14. How long does it take to get my PolarisKey?

You should receive an invitation to get your verified PolarisKey or a request for additional information within 3-5 business days.  

 

15. Can I get my PolarisKey if I only got the first dose of my vaccination?

PolarisKey maintains your current vaccination status so you can request your PolarisKey after your first dose. If you receive your second dose in the USVI, your PolarisKey will automatically refresh or you can submit your updated vaccination card or alternative to refresh your PolarisKey.

 

16. Why do I need to provide my ID? How will my ID be used?

ID verification is required to ensure your privacy and security.  Personal information provided needs to match the ID to issue your PolarisKey.