Salesforce Inc said on Wednesday it is launching Vaccine Cloud to help governments and healthcare providers globally maintain and manage digital records of COVID-19 vaccinations.

The new product, which will help people register and schedule for their vaccine shots, would also help government agencies and public health providers secure enough vaccine doses and monitor patient outcomes, Salesforce said.

"The biggest challenge the world faces right now is orchestrating the distribution of billions of vaccine doses. Technology can play a critical role," Salesforce President and Chief Operating Officer Bret Taylor said.

Many government agencies and healthcare organizations do not have the technology infrastructure in place to handle the complexity, speed and scale necessary for mass vaccine administration, the company said.

Vaccine Cloud will also allow people to share their vaccination or health status, which can help bring employees back to offices.

Earlier this month, Microsoft Corp, health insurer Cigna Corp, Mayo Clinic, and Salesforce said they are a part of a project that helps people store encrypted digital copies of their immunization records in a digital wallet of their choice. 

In the United States, Pfizer Inc PFE.N and Moderna Inc vaccines have been authorized for emergency use.

(Reporting by Dania Nadeem in Bengaluru, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips) ((Dania.Nadeem@thomsonreuters.com;))