‘The technical works have been finished and we are ready for the launch of the Freedom ID; hundreds of thousands of people will be able to start using it on Monday. The innovation created in record time will allow people to live more freely, will offer more opportunities to go to restaurants, theatres and concerts and will also open doors for a considerable number businesses. Gradually, the range of services with the Freedom ID should expand in case of a favourable epidemiological situation,‘ says Aušrinė Armonaitė, Minister of the Economy and Innovation.
The Freedom ID will allow providing catering services and organising larger events indoors and outdoors, leisure entertainment, personal celebrations; it will remove restrictions on accommodation establishments and will allow contact work again.
To get the Freedom ID on the Internet through the electronic government gateway you will need to enter personal authentication data and save your QR code on your phone or computer or print it. Those who will be checking the validity and originality of this document once logged in to this page will only need to read this QR code by phone or tablet.
Three groups of people will be able to get the Freedom ID: those who have been vaccinated, those who have had coronavirus or have a negative COVID-19 test. Both vaccinated and those who have had coronavirus will need to update the Freedom ID status (QR code) every 7 days, the test will be valid for 24 hours from the moment of sampling.
The main testing method for obtaining the Freedom ID should be rapid antigen tests as their results are most rapid. The COVID-19 test will be available at municipal mobile stations or other test sites set by municipalities, like special points or elsewhere. Testing there will be free of charge. Residents will also be able to do testing in private healthcare facilities at their own expense.
It is planned that in the near future, individuals with antibody test results will also benefit from the Freedom ID. For individuals under 16 years of age, it will suffice to present an identity card if they wish to benefit from milder quarantine conditions.
According to the Ministry’s estimations, at the beginning of June, almost 1.5 million residents will already be able to use the Freedom ID without testing.
Freadom ID: based on eHealth data
According to Saulius Urbanavičius, Director General of the Centre of Registers, the Freedom ID is another proof of how the data in the eHealth system can be used thus creating benefits for the society, in this particular case, in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘Every day, millions of electronic health documents are entered into the eHealth system. In some cases, the system allows for an efficient organisation of the priority vaccination process for the population; in another case, it allows for a maximum short-term prescriptions of potassium iodide tablets for residents of Vilnius; in the third case, it provides an opportunity to extend the range of vaccination services by including pharmacies. In the case of the Freedom ID, a technological solution developed within a relatively short period of time will help to manage epidemiological risks and will allow everybody to return to normal life as soon as possible. I am delighted and thank all those who contributed to this project; it is proof that by acting together we can achieve a breakthrough and foster the idea of an innovative state’, – says Saulius Urbanavičius, Director General of the Centre of Registers.
Technology solution developed by the global company Wix
The technology solution for the Freedom ID was developed by Israeli website development company Wix together with the Centre of Registers on the basis of a free cooperation. The company with more than 200 million customers worldwide has been operating in Lithuania since 2013 and has implemented a number of social projects here.
‘Helping and creating benefits for the local community has always been part of our identity. We are constantly looking for opportunities to help, from technological solutions to assistance in volunteering projects. We use both human and technology resources to develop products for local organisations, public authorities or private businesses. We care about the communities we live with,’ says President of Wix Nir Zohar.
Asking to Be Patient
The large number of applications at once is a challenge for any system or webpage because technical capabilities are limited. So it is not excluded that at the launch of the operation of the Freedom ID residents may face temporary problems. Besides, the technology solution of the Freedom ID uses the eGovernment Gate Authentication Service, the demand of which has considerably increased, especially during mass vaccination periods. All those who wish to obtain the Freedom ID are asked to be patient; if there is no need to get the Freedom ID at the moment, it is advisable to visit the webpage later.
