It’s the little white card that’s beginning to bring a sense of normalcy to millions of us: the COVID-19 vaccination record card. Now that you have one or will likely get one soon, Consumer Reports explains what to do with it to protect your personal health information.
Consumer Reports’ health editor says the most important info on the card is the drug and lot numbers. They 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.
Then, store the card where you keep other important documents like your passport and birth certificate.
But what happens if you lose your card? Don’t panic. Contact the location where you got your shot. It keeps a record of everyone vaccinated there and files it with your state’s immunization registry.
You can find a list of state health department immunization registries and contact details on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CR says that digital vaccine passports are a fast-developing option, so if travel is in your plans, you’ll want to look into what documents or apps might be required. You may need more than one app depending on what you’re trying to do.
Although there are some stores offering to laminate your card for free you may want to hold off. If you need to get a booster shot, that information will need to be added to your card.
Plus there have been some reports that laminating cards has made the ink illegible.