Here’s why you should make sure you keep your vaccination card safe over the next few months:
What’s on your card and why it’s important
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Vaccine manufacturer
- Clinic used
- Health care professional
- Patient number
According to the Better Business Bureau, this is more than enough information for scammers to create fake vaccination cards. In fact, scammers in Great Britain have recently been caught selling fake vaccination cards on TikTok and eBay, so it’s best to beware scammers in the U.S. who may use similar methods.
Why you need the card
Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages, and Crystal Cruises are all requiring individuals 18 years and older to be vaccinated to be able to board. There are also several airline companies seeking to require vaccination passports to board. The International Air Transport Association is also developing an app that would allow passengers to verify their vaccination records and test results before boarding.
Several countries, including the UK, China and multiple countries within the European Union, have also been developing vaccination passport technology that would allow for your vaccination card to be accessed easily and safely. This technology would be used for a variety of purposes such as granting access to sporting events, theme parks and easier travel, which means vaccination cards maybe soon be a necessary part of your travel experience.
What to do if you lose it
If you have misplaced or did not receive a vaccination card, you should contact your vaccination provider site or your state or county health care department to receive a new card.
How to keep your vaccine card safe
Health scholars and experts recommend keeping the original copy of your vaccination card with any other important document or medical record.
Megan Ranney, a physician at Rhode Island Hospital and associate professor at Brown University, said, “It doesn’t need to be carried at all times at this point, unless you’re traveling or doing something else where you’ll have to provide proof of vaccination.”
While the conversation of whether to have your vaccine card laminated or not is still ongoing since there may be a need to write more information on it a later time, Maureen Miller, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, said, “I would laminate it because by the time a booster comes along, the technology will have evolved.”
Additionally, office supplies retailers Office Depot and OfficeMax are offering free lamination of COVID-19 vaccine cards through July 25 when customers use the code “52516714.”
