When you get your COVID-19 vaccine, you’ll also receive a small, white card to take home as your vaccination record. So, what should you do with it now?
First, be sure to keep it safe – do not throw it away. Your COVID-19 vaccination card is an important health record that lists which vaccine you received, the date of your vaccination and where you were vaccinated. You’ll want to keep the card handy in case you need it in the future.
Here are a few vaccination card tips:
1. Take a picture of it.
Use your smartphone to snap a picture of the front and back of your vaccination card so that you have a backup of the information handy. Consider placing it in a separate folder on your phone so it’s easy to find among all your other pictures.
2. Store it safely.
Treat your paper vaccination card as you would a birth certificate, Social Security card, passport or other important document. Consider storing it in a safe deposit box or other secure location.
3. Don’t laminate it.
Laminating your vaccination card can damage it, make it harder to read or interfere with updating your vaccination record in the future. Instead, store it in a plastic sleeve like the type used to hold a name tag. That will help protect the card and keep it ready to present when needed.
4. Don’t post a picture of your card on social media.
Your vaccination card contains your birthday and other personal information. Although you should be proud of receiving your vaccination, posting a picture of your vaccination card on social media could expose you to identity theft and help scammers create fake vaccination cards.
If you lose your card
So, what should you do if you lose or damage your vaccination card? The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control suggests contacting the provider who administered your most recent immunization.
Depending on how long ago you were vaccinated, DHEC may have your record if you obtained your vaccine through one of the agency’s health departments.
If you received your vaccine through Tidelands Health and have lost your vaccination card or need another copy, you may access a COVID-19 vaccination certificate via the Tidelands Health patient portal. This printable certificate lists the type of vaccine you received, as well as the date(s) your vaccine was administered. Log in to the portal, and click on “COVID-19 Certificate” to access a personalized certificate.
