Once you have received your coronavirus vaccine , you will have completed an important medical step to protect yourself and your community. In addition to peace of mind and a sore arm, you will receive a COVID Vaccination Record Card – the seal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Here are some tips on how to protect the card and what you can do with it.
Protect your card
Since your proof of vaccination is only a card of paper that would not survive a cycle in the clothes washer, experts recommend making a digital copy. “The first thing you need to do is take a picture of both sides of it, and then write the lot numbers in a place that you remember, because that’s going to be important information at some point,” says Tom Frieden, former CDC director.
Pharmaceutical companies routinely keep track of drugs made at the same time in the same facility using lot numbers. These identification numbers, which are also used for products as diverse as food and toys, allow manufacturers to track expiration dates, as well as better track and coordinate a response if contamination or other issues are detected.
If you feel more secure with a more robust card, several office supply stores laminate paper certificates for free, including Office Depot . Do not rush! If you have been administered the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, which require 2 doses 3 or 4 weeks apart, respectively, do not laminate your card until after your second injection information has been recorded on the card.
Download the applications
Various organizations and coalitions are creating digital applications so that you can show that you have already vaccinated. “There will be some kind of COVID vaccine certificate, this is unavoidable,” says Frieden, who is currently president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, a group that aims to prevent deaths from cardiovascular diseases and epidemics. ?
The digital vaccine passport is a rapidly developing field, and you may need more than one application, depending on what you are trying to do. For example, you can use the New York State’s Excelsior Pass (which is valid for 180 days) to attend a Knicks basketball game at Madison Square Garden, but if you want to travel abroad, you will need to use another app. An app can also serve as a good backup for the paper vaccination card.
Be cautious when traveling
Traveling can be one of the temptations after receiving the COVID vaccine – 19.
The CDC reports that fully vaccinated people can safely travel in the United States, but should continue to wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and wash or disinfect their hands frequently. For domestic travel, each state sets its own rules regarding testing requirements or visitor restrictions, and the guidelines change frequently. It’s best to check before your departure on this CDC trip planner , which has links to all states.
Health experts are more cautious when it comes to international travel. “Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID – S LESS LIKELY TO GET AND SPREAD COVID –
” last tip. “However, international travel poses additional risks and even fully vaccinated travelers are at increased risk of becoming infected and possibly spreading new variants of COVID – ”.
Vaccinated Americans who decide to travel anyway have more and more options. Some popular destinations do not require negative test results for those who have been vaccinated, and the list of nations that allow vaccinated visitors is expected to continue to expand. However, you will need a negative test to return to the United States, even if you have already been vaccinated. Doing a voluntary quarantine after a trip is not necessary, unless your state and city require it. But you should do the test again 3 or 5 days after you return.
Enjoy other benefits
Some companies, such as Kroger, American Airlines, Marriott , Petco and Trader Joe’s offer workers cash or other incentives to get vaccinated. The amount is usually in the range of $ 50 to $ 100, but sometimes it is higher.
This is one of the most unusual incentives: some Krispy Kreme are offering one free donut per day to anyone who shows their COVID vaccination record card – 19, no need to purchase. And other companies are offering their own freebies and benefits, from gambling chips to popcorn.
How to Replace a COVID Vaccination Card – 19
If you lose your card, you can replace it because so much the pharmacy as the entity that administered the vaccine and your state keep a record of vaccinations.
“The procedure is for the person to return to the original provider, who can search easily patient registration in ImmTrac2, vaccination registration , and print a copy or fill out a new card for the person, ”said Douglas. Loveday, spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The process is essentially the same in other states. If you lose the card in a different city and cannot get the replacement card from the original source, don’t lose hope. “The local public health department and / or [el Departamento de Salud Pública de California] may have this information if the vaccinated person cannot locate it through the provider or clinic,” says Ali Bay, CDPH spokesperson.
CDC maintains a list of different immunization records and contact details for state health departments.
Military veterans vaccinated at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities can access their COVID vaccine records – 19 via My HealtheVet , the agency’s online personal health record system.
The process is more complicated for those who lose their card abroad. When a State Department spokesperson was asked whether US embassies abroad could help replace cards lost during travel, he sidestepped the question, saying: “We urge American citizens to follow the Current travel guide to reconsider traveling or not traveling to a number of countries due to COVID considerations – himself. “
Because some states in the United States allow online access to your vaccination history, you may still be able to prove your status for travel purposes. even if you can’t immediately replace the lost CDC card.
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2021, Consumer Reports, Inc.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with the advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports is an independent nonprofit organization that works with consumers to create a just, safe, and healthy world. CR does not endorse products or services and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2021, Consumer Reports, Inc.