Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish supports the new “health passport” to take fans to the pitch

Sir Kenny Dalglish stressed the importance of introducing new “health passport” technology to enable the safe return of fans to football stadiums amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Liverpool legend is an ambassador for VST Enterprises (VSTE), a company that has developed a secure digital health passport called the V-Health Passport as something they believe will be key to unlocking fans’ return to football stadiums.

So far, the UK government has yet to say exactly when fans will be able to re-enter the sports venues, although Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston recently said he wants this to happen “as soon as it is safe to do so”.

Almost all elite sports in England have been held behind closed doors since March and the Premier League is in constant dialogue with MPs on when spectators will be able to return to the pitch.

The V-Health passport allows COVID-19 test results to be uploaded to a phone, which means people can prove they are safe to participate in sports and other events and is already in use in logistics depots in Ireland to allow people to move safely at work.

When a member of the public creates an account with VSTE, they can book a coronavirus test, to be performed at a medical center that follows government guidelines, through the app.

The test results are then uploaded to the V-Health Passport and the app will show their current health status, as a single digital ‘VCode’ that the company says can be scanned from 100m away, well beyond the distance requirement social of 2 m.

Negative test results will also appear as a green tick on the “passport” and Sir Kenny, who used the technology himself, expressed his belief that the V-Health Passport is the best way to bring fans back to stadiums. insecurity.

“I know people want to go back to football,” he told ECHO in an exclusive interview.

“But the most important thing is to go back to football when it is safe and healthy.

“So, there must be preventive cases proposed to see which is best and which is safest and I think the V-Health Passport along with the tests will provide exactly that, as long as you are up to date with your test, it will be very helpful.

“I think everyone is looking for some relief right now when it comes to the joys of life, be it sports, theater, cinema or going out for a meal.

“And whatever you can get to help make it possible for people, the better for everyone.”

Those who do not have a smartphone are still able to use the V-Health Passport by printing a unique digital VCode and using it to store data.

VSTE founder and developer of the V-Health Passport, Louis-James Davis, addressed the concerns people might have about archiving and retaining their data in an insecure way.

And Mr. Davis explained that the company has been developing its “next-generation barcode technology”, VCode, since 2013 as an “ultra-secure” way of storing data.

“This is data sovereignty, so you own the passport,” he told ECHO.

“If you go to a doctor with this passport, he can see all his patients on a screen as their current caretaker.

“However, if you go to a different doctor with it, the original one can no longer see your passport.

“Essentially you take it wherever you want and assign it to a new professional.”

Something that is also unique to the V-Health Passport is that if you take it to a stadium or venue, as you approach and scan it it will tell the system that you have had a test and are negative, but it will only see your data. as an anonymous code, so there is no personal data stored.

It also notes where you have been checked and then if you test positive for COVID-19 it will send a warning to all people who have checked in to a place you have been to take the test. But the only people who can see where you’ve been are yourself and the place, even if Mr. Davies said they’ll only see it anonymously.

VSTE is in talks with the Premier League and says the top-flight bosses are thrilled to implement it if they can get the technology to try.

Mr. Davis said: “If we could list some evidence, the Premier League was completely behind in letting us do it.

“Since Sir Kenny has been on board, we have spoken with club doctors and football team operations to see if we can bring socially spaced fans on a V-Health passport to demonstrate the concept in terms of a mass situation. It shouldn’t take much longer than it already does. “

Mr. Davis and Sir Kenny also spoke to Liverpool City Council on Friday about obtaining the results of the mass testing tests, which were rolled out across the city, added to the V-Health Passport.

His idea would be that people would have passports and would be able to spend Christmas with their families or go to restaurants and watch football games with the certainty of not having coronavirus.

Sir Kenny said: “Getting fans back to football stadiums safely is the number one priority for all football teams in the UK and around the world at this time and for the future of the game.

“Without fans there isn’t a good game, it’s a way of life for so many people, it’s tribal, it’s about a group of like-minded people who have a passion and are proud of what they stand for. their team.

“Football is part of our DNA, it is our culture, we have gone through two world wars and many national tragedies along the way, but football has always been a unifying force.

“The coronavirus outbreak has impacted many people across the country, families have lost loved ones. I also tested positive for Covid earlier this year and the support and care I received from the NHS they have been outstanding, so I understand that firsthand.

“Football and sport in the UK contribute massively to positive mental health and any technology that can ensure fans return safely to the game is a winner.

“The more readily available the results and the more secure the app, the better.”