AFTER you get the Covid-19 vaccine, you are given an immunization record card to prove the shots were administered.
Many have concerns about what to do if the card gets lost or damaged considering nearly every state requires residents to carry them.
What do I do if I need a new vaccination card?
While you might not always be able to obtain a new card, there are a few things you can do if your Covid-19 card is lost of damaged to prove you’re vaccinated.
State-run facilities
One of the first things Americans should do if they were vaccinated at a state-run facility, is contact their county’s state health department and fill out an immunization request form and submit a photo ID to receive their records in the mail.
Pharmacies
For those who got the vaccine at a pharmacy, like Walgreens or CVS, you can go to them with a valid form of ID and get your vaccine record, showing proof you got the shot.
Doctor’s office
If you got the vaccine in a doctor’s office, it is recommended to call the office to see if they have a record of the shot.
If they don’t, the office should be able to inform you of another way to get the records.
Are their Covid-19 vaccine apps?
Since the start of Covid-19 vaccine passports, some states have developed Covid-19 vaccine card apps which let users store their card digitally.
California, Hawaii, New York and Oregon are some of the states that have launched apps like this.
The CDC has also launched their own app called “V-Safe,” but users are not able to obtain a new vaccine card through it.
You can also keep a picture of the card on your phone and use it as proof of vaccination wherever you go, but experts warn not to share that picture on social media.
Should you laminate your Covid-19 vaccine card?
Laminating a Covid vaccine card has been one of the most debated topics surrounding it.
While many experts think you shouldn’t laminate it, there are others who believe it is a good idea.
“Your vaccine card is important because it documents which COVID-19 vaccine you received and when you received it. We’re still learning about the durability of these vaccines, but this information will be important if it’s determined that booster shots are needed after some time,” Dr. Wesley Long, director of diagnostic microbiology at Houston Methodist, told Houston Methodist’s Katie McCallum.
When asked about lamination, Dr. Long said: “Since your vaccination card may need to be updated with booster shot information in the future, laminating your card may eventually cause more headache than help.
“If you really want to carry your original around, you’re better off placing it in a water-tight, sheet protector. They’re actually making these sized for vaccination cards these days.”
Others believe that lamination is a good way to preserve the card so nothing happens to it.
