Ontario government asks for patience after COVID-19 vaccine certificate QR code site crashes
Some 215,000 Ontarians successfully downloaded their COVID-19 vaccine certificate QR code Monday morning and they should consider themselves lucky.
The Ministry of Health told CTV News Toronto that a technical issue caused the site to crash for "a few users" hoping to access the new document on launch day.
“We are currently experiencing high volumes of downloads and a few users have experienced a brief technical issue,” a spokesperson for the ministry said in an email.
The enhanced system, which provides scannable documents to allow for faster entry into settings that require proof of vaccination, officially goes into effect on Friday and some users were able to download their codes last week.
Residents born between January and April got first dibs to access the enhanced vaccination certificate through the province's COVID-19 website on Friday, followed by other cohorts that got access over the weekend and provincewide access today.
Of the “few” users affected by the glitch, some said they were greeted with an error message after entering their health card data.
As of Monday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that 215,000 residents had downloaded their code today, including the 2.4 million receipts that have been downloaded over all.
It is unclear how many of the remaining 8.4 million fully vaccinated Ontarians were affected by the crash.
In light of the technical issue -- which the MOH originally said had been resolved earlier in the day – the province is asking people to be patient as they look to access the document which will allow them entry into most non-essential settings like gyms, theatres, and restaurant dining rooms.
“It’s exciting that so many Ontarians are eager to download their enhanced vaccine receipt with official QR code,” the province added.
It’s worth noting that residents who are fully vaccinated can continue to use the receipts they were issued when the system first went into effect on Sept. 22. if they can’t access their QR code. Businesses that require proof of vaccination must accept that previous iteration of the vaccine certificate, although it can no longer be accessed through the province’s online portal.
You can download your COVID-19 vaccine certificate QR code here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air turbulence: When can it become dangerous?
Flight turbulence like that encountered by a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday is extremely common, but there's one aspect of severe turbulence an aviation expert says can lead to serious injury.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
People in Gaza are 'wasting' from famine: World Food Programme director
World Food Programme executive director Cindy McCain says people living in Gaza are 'wasting' as famine concerns continue amid the war between Israel and Hamas.
WATCH Why today's inflation numbers are good if you have a mortgage
New inflation data is 'welcome news' for consumers and an economist says it could signal the possibility for a interest rate cut as several core measures also continue to ease.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
'Miscommunication' Liberals say of Speaker Fergus event invite Conservatives call partisan
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is facing fresh Conservative-led calls to resign, this time over "very partisan" and 'inflammatory' language used – the Liberals say mistakenly – to promote an upcoming event.
'Mr. Trump doesn't worry us', says Canadian ambassador
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues the 'Team Canada' charm offensive to U.S. lawmakers and business leaders, Canada's ambassador to the United States downplayed the effect of another Trump presidency on Canada.