What to do if you lose your vaccine card

Documentation can take a fortnight to replace

As everyday destinations in many states begin requiring proof of Covid vaccinations, it’s fair to say losing your vaccine card could end up a major headache.

Before the end of the month, anyone wanting to dine inside, hit the gym, visit a salon or go to a number of other indoor public places in New York City will have to show evidence of their vaccine.

Other cities may follow soon – some, including LA, already insist that city employees are vaccinated (or take regular tests) to go to work.

As many as 70 per cent of Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccination, and received a card as evidence. The document confirms whether the holder is fully or partially vaccinated, as well as where and when the shot was administered and the vaccine type received.

If you misplace yours, the first step is to contact your vaccination provider, such as Rite Aid, CVS or a local government office.

Vaccination providers must report Covid vaccinations to their state health department’s immunisation information system, so if you have an issue with the provider, you can contact the IIS instead.

State health departments will then either email or post a copy of your vaccination card, which can take up to two weeks.

It’s also perfectly fine to store the record on your smartphone, so you can avoid carrying the hard copy around. This is as easy as snapping a photo of the front and the back of the card, or entering the info into one of the many apps that have launched recently for this purpose, such as NYC COVID Safe or the Excelsior Pass.

Regardless of whether or not you carry the hard copy around, health officials are advising people not to get it laminated. Future booster shots or even third doses may be required and would need to be recorded on the cards, which laminate would make difficult.