San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Play it safe with your vaccination card
Keep original secure — make copy, take photo or laminate it
As coronavirus vaccinations open up to all California adults this month, millions more people will receive the 3by4inch piece of cardstock that records the details of their doses.
That card carries key pandemic personal information — so naturally, you should start by making sure you don’t let it crumple in your wallet or accidentally lose it. But many may be looking for more information about how they should keep and protect their cards, and what they’ll use them for.
Here’s what you need to know:
What does the vaccination card record?
The card, usually a version issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Protection, includes your name, birth date and immunization record chart. There are spaces for the first and second COVID19 vaccine doses with the manufacturer, date and name of health care professional or clinic site. If you receive the singledose Johnson & Johnson vaccine rather than twodose Pfizer or Moderna versions, only the first space will be filled out. There are also two additional spaces marked “other” — leaving room for any future details such as booster shots (though those have not yet been developed).
Should I get my card laminated?
First off, if you are on a twodose vaccine regimen, don’t get it laminated until you receive your second dose and your card is filled out.
Companies including Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples have offered free lamination services for vaccination cards. But there’s been discussion lately that vaccinated individuals should not laminate their cards because they may be needed for booster shots down the line.
Experts say that if a booster is needed, they’ll probably receive a new card.
“If they want to laminate it, let them laminate it,” said George Rutherford, an infectious disease expert at
UCSF. “I can’t think of any reason not to. I think we’ll be at an electronic solution down the line.”
Rutherford said he personally stapled his vaccine card to his passport because “that’s how optimistic I am,” he said. He said he might need to carry it through an international border one day.
What other safety measures should I take?
It’s a good idea to take photos and make a physical copy of both the back and front of your card, and keep those copies safe in case you lose the original.
Find out now where your vaccination record is being kept in case you lose your card. If you do lose it, you can probably reach out to the health care provider where you received your vaccine or contact the California Immunization Registry.
If you did not receive your vaccination from your primary care provider, you should share the details with him or her. Also, according to a report from MarketWatch, it’s a good idea to let your family members know, so they can communicate that to caregivers if you are ever unconscious or incapacitated and need treatment at a hospital or urgent care center.
The Federal Trade Commission advises against posting photos of your card on social media as it could open up the possibility of identity theft. Instead, it suggests posting a photo of your arm where you got the shot or of a vaccine sticker.
Should I carry my card with me?
Unless you are going to your seconddose appointment or attending an event that requires proof of vaccination, experts say there’s no reason to carry your vaccine card around with you. Rather, it’s best to keep it in a safe place as you would with other important documents.
Will I need my card as a “passport”?
Proof of coronavirus vaccination is already required on many cruises, and vaccine cards could be your ticket (in addition to your actual ticket) to concerts, sporting events and other events. The San Francisco Giants just announced that fans will need to present a paper or electronic copy of vaccination proof or a negative coronavirus test to attend a game.
On Monday, the White House said there will not be a federal vaccine passport or requirement to obtain a credential and will leave it to the private sector to develop those programs. Last week, New York released an app that shares COVID19 vaccine and test results with businesses and entertainment venues, which is the first of its kind in the U.S. So far there is no such program in California.