More than 100 million Americans have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine. Proof? A 4 x 3-inch paper “vaccination record card” issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a post-pandemic world, however, that humble card for those who are fully vaccinated could become an important document used for travel, attending events, returning to the post-pandemic office, and other purposes. Here’s what experts say you should know about vaccination cards.
Photograph the registration card
The first thing experts recommend once you’ve been vaccinated is to take a digital photo of both sides of your personal registration card. You can also scan the card and save the file to a laptop or desktop, said Megan Ranney, an emergency physician at Rhode Island Hospital and an associate professor at Brown University.
One thing you shouldn’t do: Share your personal proof of inoculation on Facebook or other social networking sites, which could lead to identity theft, as the CDC card includes a person’s date of birth, such as and first and last name.
“I would not post it on social media with my birthday. It’s a unique identifier that could allow someone to steal your identity, so I’d pay attention to that first, “said epidemiologist Danielle Ompad, a professor at NYU School in New York. Global Public Health told MoneyWatch.
Instead, you may want to print a copy of the vaccination card photo and keep it in your wallet. While some experts advise not to laminate the original card so that vaccine booster photos can be added if this becomes necessary, others say it’s okay because a more sophisticated record-keeping system is likely to it already exists until then.
“I would roll it out, because by the time a booster comes out, the technology will evolve,” suggested Dr. Maureen Miller, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
You can get your laminated card for free at the Staples Office Supply Store using code 81450 or at Office Depot code 52516714.
Leave the original at home
Make sure you keep the original copy of the vaccine card in a safe place – you don’t need to keep it in your person at all times and you risk losing it. Experts recommend keeping the original with other important documents or medical records and carrying only the digital copy.
“You don’t have to be transported at any time unless you’re traveling or doing something else where you have to provide proof of vaccination,” Ranney said.
Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior researcher at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said he keeps his immunization record in his passport (along with a card showing he has been vaccinated against yellow fever).
Tell your primary care doctor that you have received the vaccine, as you would any other inoculation. This helps healthcare providers to ensure that immunization records are kept up to date.
What happens if I lose him?
If you lose your card, don’t panic. Each time a vaccine is given, the provider registers it in the state’s immunization registry.
“Those fragile pieces of paper are not the only records of your vaccination status,” Adalja said. “People should keep their books safe so they have them on hand, but it’s not the end of the world if they lose it or go through the washing machine.”
If you do not travel your card, call the state health department and request a replacement.
“Right now it’s proof that you got the vaccine, but it’s not impossible to replace,” said Dr. Christine Whelan, a clinical professor of consumer science at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
For now, Whelan said, simple CDC white papers may have more symbolic value than practical function.
“Other countries do not give pieces of paper as we are, and this could be a strange thing we do. There is something satisfactory about leaving with the card copy file just in case,” she said.
No universal standard – yet
President Joe Biden’s senior medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said this week that the US government will not mandate the so-called vaccine passports for travel and other business activities. Anything that looks like a digital switch is likely to be developed by the private sector, he added.
Some experts complain that the government did not develop a standardized digital proof of vaccination earlier.
“I think the US government should have thought of a digital application from the beginning and have it ready to work so that it can be activated when a person has received a vaccine,” Adalja said. “Now we have to strive to come up with a digital and secure solution so that people don’t have to worry about carrying that card.”
Ideally, vaccination status would be integrated and stored with other personal travel information that is reflected in programs such as Global Entry and TSA Pre Check that facilitate the travel process through airport security.
Race for digital solutions
As Fauci suggested, private companies are already developing ways in which people can show that they have been vaccinated or that they do not have a coronavirus. For example, New York authorities are testing a digital health permit powered by blockchain technology in partnership with computer company IBM.
“The goal is to provide New York residents with a simple, voluntary and safe way to show evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or vaccination certification,” IBM said in a news release last month.
New York State
New York recently piloted the so-called Excelsior Pass with the Brooklyn Nets at one of the home games of the National Basketball Association team at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It will also be tested in theaters and other venues as more New Yorkers are vaccinated.
“Excelsior Pass will play a key role in transmitting information to locations and sites in a secure and streamlined manner, allowing us to quickly pursue the reopening of these businesses and bring us one step closer to reaching a new normal,” he said. said Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement last month.
Relieving anxiety
VaxYes is another tool that provides HIPAA compliant digital vaccine records for inoculated individuals. The company’s CEO, Mohammed Garber, expects the product to be initially used mostly in the tourism sector.
“I personally went through the maxims of getting both the vaccine doses and the minimal thoughts and fears that I had lost my card. Everyone will have anxiety around this card and how to protect it,” Garber said.
VaxYes has collaborated with various US states and organizations, including Kansas, which is testing the tool to allow residents to return to shows and other events. So far, thousands of Americans have digitized their paper cards through VaxYes, according to the company.
“People are already starting to think about summer travel plans and see this as a facilitator to get back to normal and resume travel activities,” Garber said. “We are very excited to be part of the solution.”