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SafeKey Guidance

Updated 14th February 2022

If your vaccine-based SafeKey has expired, click here to renew it.

Members of the community requiring a Safekey can also contact the COVID hotline on 444-2498 who will review their Safekey eligibility and issue a Safekey if they are deemed eligible.

Please note that using SafeKey does not replace the requirement to wear a mask indoors. The mask guidance outlined here must continue to be followed at all times.

To verify that a SafeKey is valid go to: verify.gov.bm

Use a device such as a phone or tablet to scan the SafeKey, along with checking the user’s ID.

Bermuda Safe Key guidelines for business

 

Purpose

To mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infections and outbreaks during the pandemic and allow residents and visitors access to activities and services identified as high risk for spreading the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

SafeKey is also part of an effort to upgrade our negative test and vaccination certificates to make sure no one can fake your documents. The certificates contain information necessary to verify the results of your negative test or vaccination.

Who does this guidance apply to?

This guidance applies to all Bermuda residents, visitors, businesses and organizations that provide or participate in COVID-19 SafeKey activities and services. -  (see below for the definition of the relevant activities and services).

Definitions

COVID-19

  • An infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

SafeKey

  • The SafeKey is an official document and digital verification issued for access to high risk activities or services that have been restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SafeKey Activities and Services

From 12:00 pm on Friday February 4 2022:

  • SafeKey is no longer mandatory for restaurants, members' clubs, bars, gyms and island boats. They are only required for large group events that require a group exemption.

  • Restaurant table sizes are limited to 10

  • Employees of these establishments are not required to have a SafeKey in order to go to work as all employees are required to remain masked at all times.

Effective April 1 2022, Safekeys will no longer be issued.

Vaccination Certificate 

  • An official document confirming whether individuals have received the recommended doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine.

An approved COVID-19 vaccination

  • Any COVID-19 vaccine that is listed in the Quarantine (COVID-19) (NO. 3) Order 2020.

​​​Isolation

  • This involves separating persons who have COVID-19 from persons who do not. Persons in isolation should not be issued a COVID-19 SafeKey.

Quarantine

  • This involves separating those persons who may have been exposed to COVID-19, whether through recent travel or local exposure, from those who have not. Persons in quarantine should not be issued a COVID-19 SafeKey.

COVID-19 Regulations

  • These include any and all Regulations and subsequent amendments to Regulations found on gov.bm/coronavirus-regulations, for the purpose of providing guidance or restricting activity during the COVID-19 pandemic – e.g. Public Health Act 1949 and the Public Health (COVID-19 Emergency Powers) (Phased Re-Opening) Regulations 2021.

Authority

  • The Public Health Act 1949 and all subsequent amendments to the Public Health (Covid-19 Emergency Powers) (Phased Re-Opening) Regulations 2021 and the Public Health (COVID-19) Regulations 2020
  • The Quarantine Act 2017 and all subsequent amendments to the Quarantine (COVID-19) (NO. 3) Order 2020

Key SafeKey Points

  • The COVID-19 SafeKey Programme allows businesses and other organizations to offer access to high risk services and activities only when residents or visitors present official documentation and/or digital verification for SafeKey at the time of the service or activity.
  • The Ministry of Health will continue to update the gov.bm website to include information about the COVID-19 SafeKey Programme and the high risk activities and services that will require a COVID-19 SafeKey.
  • A COVID-19 SafeKey is valid only when presented together with a matching identification document such as an identity card, passport, or driver's license.
  • Businesses and organizations that are required to participate or voluntarily participate in the COVID-19 SafeKey Programme will provide access to high risk services and activities for customers and service users according to this COVID-19 SafeKey Guidance.
  • Customers and service users will follow this COVID-19 SafeKey Guidance and ensure that they have a valid COVID-19 SafeKey that matches their identification in order to access COVID-19 SafeKey activities or services.

Who is eligible for a COVID-19 SafeKey?

ELIGIBLE:

  • Immunised persons: An individual who has received the complete recommended single dose or two dose course of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, plus 2 weeks
  • An individual that is 2 years old or older with a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours or a negative COVID-19 Antigen test within 24 hours

INELIGIBLE:

  • An individual who has travelled in the last 14 days that has not received the complete recommended course of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, plus 2 weeks
  • An individual that has recently recovered from a COVID-19 infection and doesn’t meet criteria required for issuance, as stated above
  • An individual who is in isolation or quarantine

Immunised Residents

All residents who are fully immunized can access their vaccine-based Safekeys online at www.gov.bm/vaccine-certificate

Vaccine-based Safekeys are valid for a month. Renewing expired vaccine-based Safekeys can be done by any Safekey holder by going to www.gov.bm/vaccine-certificate and entering your details to generate your next Safekey.

Residents who have been vaccinated overseas can register for a vaccination certificate and SafeKey here: Overseas Vaccination Authentication for a Bermuda Vaccine Certificate | Government of Bermuda (www.gov.bm) 

Unimmunised Residents

Unimmunised residents can access test-based Safekeys by getting tested for COVID-19 at a government testing location (see locations and times available at https://www.gov.bm/coronavirus-get-tested ). A link to the Safekey document will be included in the negative test result email. Test-based Safekeys are valid for 72 hours (3 days after the test day).

As of February 4 2022, Student 7-day passes are no longer required.

Travellers

Travellers entering Bermuda (residents and visitors) will have test-based Safekey links included with their negative test result email.

Unimmunised travellers with a scheduled day 10 test will have their final test-based Safekey issued with the negative test result. It will be valid for 3 days.

Immunised travellers with a scheduled day 4 test will have a SafeKey issued with their negative test result that is valid for 26 days. 

Vaccinated visitors staying in Bermuda for more than 30 days can, after their first 30 days in Bermuda, request a "vaccinated visitor" test from the COVID hotline. The negative test result will generate a 30-day Safekey. Visitors will then need to test monthly to renew their 30-day Safekey.

Further SafeKey Guidance 

  • Businesses and organizations that use SafeKey must display 'We Use SafeKey signage in a visible location like a store window and on their website so that their customers and service users can see what services or activities require a valid COVID-19 SafeKey.
  • The COVID-19 SafeKey is an official document and digital verification that will be issued automatically for individuals that have completed a full course of an approved COVID-19 vaccine or receive a negative COVID-19 PCR test.
  • The COVID-19 SafeKey has a QR code that can be scanned with almost any electronic device with a camera connected to either a data plan or an internet service. The QR code can only be read when you go to verify.gov.bm. The QR code provides one's initials and the month and day of their date of birth. This is just enough information for businesses and organizations to check that the COVID-19 SafeKey is valid and matches the details on one's photo identification.
  • Individuals who have not completed a full course of an approved COVID-19 vaccine will only be issued a SafeKey if they have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result. - (book a COVID-19 PCR test appointment at gov.bm/coronavirus-get-tested).
  • Individuals must ensure that they enter the correct information in the resQwest system. The name on their photo identification must match the vaccine card/certificate and/or their recent negative COVID-19 test result.
  • Individuals using a local laboratory service, rather than one of the Government's test sites, should check to ensure that their test results are shared with the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory.
  • The COVID-19 SafeKey verification process requires that the individuals accessing a COVID-19 SafeKey activity or service present a photo identification that matches their valid COVID-19 SafeKey.
  • Your identification will be checked in order to gain entry to a COVID-19 SafeKey activity or service but personal information should not be kept or stored by any business or organization except for the purposes of contact tracing. See guidance for contact tracing responsibilities of businesses and organizations at gov.bm/guidance-indoor-and-outdoor-dining.
  • If you have recently travelled and have not received an approved course of a COVID-19 vaccine, or individuals that are on isolation or quarantine, you should not attend any activities or services and should stay home and away from others.

Do children require a separate SafeKey?

Children over two-years old do require their own SafeKey, which can be obtained through receipt of a negative coronavirus test result or via vaccination, if eligible (at least 12 years of age).

Children under the age of 2 years are permitted access to COVID-19 SafeKey services and activities when accompanied by a parent or guardian with a valid COVID-19 SafeKey.

It is recommended that parents or guardians have identification, such as a birth certificate, for children under 2 years of age that will gain access to activities or services under their COVID-19 SafeKey.

Can the SafeKey be used outside of Bermuda?

No. The SafeKey is only valid within Bermuda.

How long is the SafeKey valid?

Vaccine-based SafeKeys for residents immunised in Bermuda are valid for one month. 

Test-based SafeKeys for unimmunised residents are valid for 72 hours (3 days after the test day).

Test-based SafeKeys for immunised travelers are valid for 26 days with a negative day 4 test.  

Effective April 1 2022, Traveller Safekeys will no longer be issued.

What about my privacy?

The COVID-19 SafeKey Programme will be conducted in accordance with best practices for privacy and protection of personal information. The COVID-19 SafeKey leverages the paper-first verifiable credentials protocol designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s PathCheck foundation.  It specifies a decentralized, secure, interoperable and privacy preserving approach to digitally verifying certificates and credentials.

Your identification will be checked in order to gain entry to a COVID-19 SafeKey activity or service but personal information should not be kept or stored by any business or organization except for the purposes of contact tracing. 

Your SafeKey will not contain information regarding your current Covid-19 status, whether you have taken a test or if you are fully immunised, in order to protect your privacy.

If you lose your SafeKey it cannot be duplicated or used by someone else.

How is the SafeKey enforced?

Enforcement officers will continue to monitor compliance with COVID-19 Regulations, inclusive of the COVID-19 SafeKey Programme.

Failure to abide by the COVID-19 SafeKey Programme when an activity or service requires it under the COVID-19 Regulations may result in legal action including disqualification from the SafeKey Programme, closure or a fine.

Is there a cost to use SafeKey?

There is no cost to use SafeKey.

When will I receive my SafeKey?

Persons will receive their SafeKeys (and vaccine certificates) 14 days after their 2nd dose, as this is when you are deemed fully immunised. KK

Persons who have received 2 doses more than 14 days ago and have not received a SafeKey email should email a copy of their government photo ID and vaccine card to vaccines@gov.bm. The vaccine certificates team will then review their client record and issue their certificate and SafeKey.

I am a local app developer, how can I develop applications using the SafeKey?

The QR codes that now appear on Bermuda’s vaccination certificates, test results, and SafeKey are developed according to the MIT Path Check Foundation’s Paper Verifiable Credential Standard. This programme is built on open source technology, meaning any local company or local application developer can write programmes to leverage the SafeKey. The specs for developing applications can be found here:

Pathcheck Spec

Verify.gov.bm

Using the SafeKey - Individuals

  • Once an individual's COVID-19 SafeKey has been issued they can print the documentation or carry their digital pass with them on a portable electronic device (phone, tablet, etc.) in order to gain access to COVID-19 SafeKey activities and services.
  • It is recommended that individuals check to make sure their pass is valid prior to attending a COVID-19 SafeKey activity or service by scanning the QR code on their SafeKey at verify.gov.bm/. Access to an internet service or data plan is required for this check.
  • When making plans to participate in a COVID-19 SafeKey activity or service check with the business or organization beforehand to ensure that they have all the information required. There may be additional steps to follow in order for the business or organization to accommodate individuals and avoid long queues and some events will require pre-registration.
  • Individuals must present their COVID-19 SafeKey and identification information to the business or organization upon entry and/or prior to receiving or engaging in a COVID-19 SafeKey activity or service.
  • Persons can contact the COVID-19 Helpline at coronavirus@gov.bm or (441) 444-2498 with any queries regarding their COVID-19 SafeKey and technical problems.

Using the SafeKey - Businesses

  • Businesses and organizations participating in COVID-19 SafeKey activities and services will provide information to customers and service users about the activities and services that require a COVID-19 SafeKey. It is recommended that this information is placed in a visible location such as a store window and/or website in order to assist with compliance.
  • You will need to have a portable electronic device such as a smart phone or tablet with a camera that is capable of scanning the QR code on the COVID-19 SafeKey. Access to an internet service or a data plan is required for scanning the QR code using verify.gov.bm/ or any compatible QR code scan system.
  • When a customer or service user arrives at your business or organization you must scan their COVID-19 SafeKey and check that their identification matches the information on the SafeKey. The QR code will provide their initials, the month and day of their date of birth, a green check if the SafeKey is valid and an expiry date.
  • Failure to abide by the COVID-19 SafeKey Programme when an activity or service requires it under the COVID-19 Regulations may result in legal action including disqualification from the SafeKey Programme, closure or a fine.
  • Do not store or record any personal information that is shared during the COVID-19 SafeKey verification process with the exception of guidance provided in support of contact tracing efforts.
  • Once the COVID-19 SafeKey is verified you may proceed with the activity or service.

How to use SafeKey

 

Click here to return to the COVID-19 homepage.

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