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Samsung Electronics is the world's largest memory chip manufacturer and second-biggest contract chip maker. (Photo: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters)

Samsung announced that users of its Samsung Pay service can soon securely store their COVID-19 vaccination cards within the app. The announcement came just days after Google made a similar announcement with its Google Pay service.

The company said it should be rolling out the new feature within the next two weeks. The feature will allow vaccinated individuals in the U.S. to download a verifiable digital version of their COVID-19 vaccination cards from pharmacies, healthcare facilities, and vaccination centers. They can then store the card on their smartphones using Samsung's CommonHealth app.

Samsung phone users will still need to download the CommonHealth app from the Google Play Store before using the feature. Apart from being used to download verified vaccination cards, the CommonHealth app can also be used to track a user's health information, which can then be shared with medical facilities and organizations.

Once downloaded, the verified record on the app can be added to Samsung Pay for easy access. The card will appear as a QR code that can then be scanned anywhere it is needed.

Over the past weeks, certain institutions, establishments, and employers have begun to make vaccination a requirement. In New York, some restaurants and retail outlets require people to show proof of vaccination before they can be served. Presenting a vaccination card is also becoming a requirement for other purposes such as in-person classrooms and international travel.

In some U.S. states, local governments have set up electronic vaccinations passports that people can keep and display when needed. New York is already set to launch its Excelsior Pass program.

While bringing a vaccination card will be sufficient for most purposes, experts said it would be better to store the actual card at home and bring a digital copy instead. Since the vaccination card contains personal information, its digital copy needs to be stored in a locked device when not in use. Using apps such as Samsung Pay and Google Pay adds another layer of security since the app will require added verification before a card is displayed.