SAN ANTONIO – When you get your COVID-19 vaccine, you receive a white record card, but what should you do with it to keep the information safe?
Leticia Varela has her COVID-19 vaccine and the little white card to prove it.
“As soon as I got my second dose and have my vaccination card, I feel that I’m doing my part to stop this virus from spreading,” she said.
The first thing to do is take digital pictures of the card, both front and back. The important information on the card is which drug was administered and the lot numbers.
“Those numbers allow the manufacturers to track where and when different batches were made, to better trace and coordinate a response if contamination or other problems are detected,” said Kevin Loria, Consumer Reports’ health editor.
When it comes to laminating the card, there are differing opinions.
Office supply stores like Staples and Office Depot will laminate the card for free, which can help protect it from wear. Be sure you have all the necessary doses first. Because you may want to add boosters later, some suggest putting the original in a protective sleeve and carrying a copy in your wallet.
The original is best stored where you keep other important documents, like your passport or birth certificate.
“I don’t even take it out of the house,” Varela said.
But what if you accidentally launder your card or lose it?
“Don’t panic,” Loria said. “Contact the location where you got your shot. They keep a record of everyone they have vaccinated and file it with the state’s immunization registry.”
The CDC does not keep national immunization records, but it has a list of public health agencies that do.
In the meantime, private companies are continuing to work on more sophisticated methods for people to save their vaccine records instead of a simple piece of paper.