Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 1 Million Excelsior Passes Retrieved Since Launch

 

Major Venues and Businesses Across the State Integrating Excelsior Pass into Reopening After State Adopts New CDC Guidance on Mask Use for Fully Vaccinated Individuals 

First-in-the-Nation Digital Pass Offers Free, Voluntary Way to Share COVID-19 Vaccination or Negative Test Status in Accordance with State Guidance

Excelsior Pass COVID-19 Vaccination Passes Now Valid for 365 Days; Those Vaccinated in NYS Can Retrieve 15 Days After Final Dose   

B-Roll of Excelsior Pass Used at New York Islanders Game Available Here; Excelsior Pass Marketing Images Available Here

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that more than 1 million Excelsior Passes have been issued since New York State launched the first-in-the-nation voluntary platform in March. Excelsior Pass, which is now being utilized by venues, universities, stadiums and businesses statewide, is a free, fast, and secure way to present digital proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results that's helping to get New Yorkers back to the things they love and miss — safely. 

"After a long and incredibly difficult year, New Yorkers are finally returning to normal life and getting back to work amid rising vaccination rates, and the first-in-the-nation Excelsior Pass is a key part of that restoration of normalcy," Governor Cuomo said. "The fact that we've so quickly achieved a milestone — more than 1 million passes issued — speaks to New Yorkers' desire to resume many of the activities they've given up over the past year and is good news for bringing our economy back and building a stronger state for the future. New Yorkers are ready for the new normal, and the Excelsior Pass will help them get there until we can defeat this terrible pandemic for good."

Excelsior Pass is supporting New Yorkers building back better through NYS DOH guidance, with an over 80 percent increase in downloads this week alone. As of May 19, the State lifted capacity restrictions and adopted CDC guidance on masks and social distancing for fully vaccinated individuals. Under the new guidance, certain businesses may choose to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination status and Excelsior Pass is an easy-to-use, verifiable option. New Yorkers can always present alternate forms of COVID-19 vaccination and negative test results— such as paper forms — directly at businesses and venues.

Major sports venues across the State are already using Excelsior Pass to safely get even more fans back into stands, including Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center, Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, the Nassau Coliseum, Belmont Park, the Times Union Center, NBT Bank Stadium, the Carrier Dome, Sahlen Field — the temporary host of the Toronto Blue Jays — KeyBank Center, and Frontier Field.

Universities and colleges across New York — including State University of New York campuses such as the University at Buffalo, Binghamton University and Stony Brook University, as well as Syracuse University, Pace University and Long Island University — have already leveraged Excelsior Pass for in-person graduation ceremonies and large events, like sporting games, or plan to for the fall.

Users interested in opting in to use Excelsior Pass, which currently has a Vaccination Pass and two different Test Pass options, can learn more here; interested businesses and organizations can opt in and learn more here and download digital marketing assets here to help demonstrate to patrons/customers that their business accepts Excelsior Pass.

At this time, Passes may only be retrieved for COVID-19 vaccinations or negative test results received in the State of New York, though it does not require you to be a resident of New York. The State is actively working with regional and international partners to broaden its use, as well as major New York State employers to support office reopenings.

All Excelsior COVID-19 Vaccination Passes retrieved beginning today will be valid for 365 days, up from 180 days. Those who already have a Vaccination Pass may retrieve a new Pass whenever they choose to in order to take advantage of this extension. At this time, New Yorkers should know that the 365 days relates only to the length of time the Pass is valid. The duration of validity of Excelsior Vaccination Passes may continue to be updated to reflect the latest understanding from federal and state health experts and as additional science and trial data is released.

For those interested in Excelsior Pass who have received their COVID-19 Vaccinations or PCR and/or Antigen Tests in the State of New York, visit epass.ny.gov to get started.  

Fast Facts About Excelsior Pass

• Excelsior Pass is a free, voluntary, and secure way to retrieve proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results and users' data is kept confidential and secure at all times.
• At this time, Passes are only available for those who have received their COVID-19 Vaccination or PCR/Antigen tests in the State of New York.
• An Excelsior COVID-19 Vaccination Pass, available 15 days after the final dose of the vaccine was administered, is valid for 365 days.
• An Excelsior COVID-19 PCR Test Pass is valid until midnight on the third day after a test.
• An Excelsior COVID-19 Antigen Test Pass is valid for 6 hours from the time of a test.
• Each Pass contains cryptographic signatures that ensure that it is genuine and that no data-tampering has occurred.
• Excelsior Pass is accompanied by a Help Desk with extensive resources, multi-language access, and is able to be printed for those who may not own smartphones.
• New Yorkers always have the option of using other forms of proof, like a CDC card or physical laboratory test results, directly at a business or venue.

Vaccine administrators and testing providers are directly responsible for entering COVID-19 immunization and testing data into secure New York State and New York City databases on a timely basis. Per NYS DOH guidance, all New York State vaccine administrators must have staff available to both review and correct the data they input, if data entry issues are identified.