- When you receive COVID-19 vaccination, you will be given a vaccine card.
- It is important to keep this book as it will serve several important purposes in the future.
- It is recommended that you take a photo or scan the card and keep the original in a safe place.
- If you lose your card, you may be able to get a replacement card.
When you receive COVID-19 vaccination, you will be given a vaccination card as documentation.
The card shall contain the name and date of birth, the manufacturer of the vaccine and the batch number, as well as the place where the vaccine was administered and the date on which the vaccine was administered.
The card will also indicate if and when you need to return for a booster shot.
In addition to reminding you when to return for the next shot, there are several other important reasons to keep your vaccine card.
Sarah E. Lynch, PharmD, a pharmacist and faculty of pharmacy at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York, said an important reason to keep your vaccine card is the possibility that you might face an adverse event.
If the event is related to a specific vaccine batch number, having this information will allow you to make a connection between what you are experiencing and the vaccine batch you received.
With the card, you will also know when you received the last dose if it turns out that future booster doses are needed.
S. Wesley Long, PhD, a researcher at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas, added that knowing what vaccine you received could influence the composition of any future booster you may receive.
Long also mentioned that proof of vaccination may be needed for travel, work, school, volunteering or activities as we progress.
Nicole J. Hassoun, MA, PhD, Professor of Philosophy at Binghamton University, said that in addition to providing short-term evidence of vaccination, vaccination cards can become the basis for immunity passports, documents that will be needed to access public spaces and travel.
And there may be some extra benefits to keeping a copy of the card handy.
“Some companies offer discounts for people who have been vaccinated,” Long said, “so you may need a copy or picture of your card to take advantage of them.”
“Because you are unlikely to need a card in everyday life,” Long said, “I would first take a photo and / or scan the card and then place it in a safe place.
“Some people have suggested rolling the cards, but then they can’t be updated with information in the future, such as receiving a booster shot,” he added.
Lynch suggested taking a photo of the front and back card and keeping it on your mobile device is a good way to keep the card with you at all times.
She also mentioned that some states are launching applications for digital passports for vaccines.
“This will allow the card information to be connected in a digital application that can be easily accessed on a mobile device and shared at events where documentation is required, eliminating the need to carry the physical card,” Lynch explained.
If you lose your card, don’t worry. The information has not disappeared forever.
In general, you should be able to contact the clinic or agency where your vaccination was given to get a duplicate registration, Long said.
In addition, this information should have been shared with your state’s immunization registry, so it may be possible to obtain proof of vaccination from your state.
Keeping the vaccine card in a safe place simply ensures that you have it readily available if and when you need it.