What if you lose your vaccine card?
Editor's Note
According to a Johns Hopkins University study, just over 50% of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are one of the fortunate Americans to be vaccinated, you likely received a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) card. This is the only way to confirm that someone has been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the United States right now.
The card is important documentation and losing it could pose a few problems.
But what happens if you do manage to lose your COVID-19 vaccine card? What are your options for getting a new one, especially when you might need it to travel or use a digital health passport?
Here’s what you need to know.
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What to do if you lose your vaccine card
Your COVID-19 vaccine card is a small, unassuming piece of paper. If you aren’t careful, it’s possible that you could damage — or even lose — your card.
If that happens, don’t panic. All COVID-19 vaccination providers are required to report data within 72 hours in their state’s immunization system, meaning there will likely be a backup record of your vaccination status.
Although there is a record of your shot, you still may have to reach out to several sites to track it down.
The CDC says that you should first contact your vaccination provider — the location where you received the shot — to obtain your vaccination record if you have lost your vaccine card or didn’t receive one.
Recently, a friend who got vaccinated in Brooklyn accidentally got her card wet before receiving a second Pfizer vaccine dose. Workers at the facility happily exchanged it with a new card. So, depending on where you are in the vaccination process, you may be able to quickly get a new card, too.
Another option is to contact your state’s immunization information system (IIS) to see if it has the records. You can also try your state’s health department.
And also note that you have these options with all vaccines — not just the COVID-19 shots.
Finally, if you enrolled in the CDC’s v-safe or VaxText text notification system, you can access your vaccination information that way. However, don’t contact the CDC directly as they do not have a vaccination database.
Related: 3 things to know about your CDC vaccine card
Your vaccine card may come in handy soon
Some destinations are requiring proof of a COVID-19 vaccination, and streamlining that process is something the travel industry has been working on in the form of digital vaccine passports. Your CDC COVID-19 vaccine card may become your ticket out of strict (and possibly expensive) testing and quarantine requirements.
A digital health passport will host verified test and vaccine information, and several have already had trial runs on a number of airlines. These health passes are expected to be optional but will be vital to the travel experience moving forward.
Digital health passports, such as IATA Travel Pass and Clear Health Pass, will host verified test and vaccine information. Some health passport providers have previously told TPG that getting your vaccine status or negative test results onto their apps will be easy.
“You would take a picture, which would, in this case, be a CDC vaccination card with your name on it,” Nick Careen, IATA’s senior vice president of airport, passenger, cargo and security, told TPG last month.
And because there are real concerns that some people would fake negative coronavirus results or COVID-19 vaccine status, providers have indicated that they’re looking for ways to verify the information.
Related: Your guide to digital health passports
Keep your vaccine card safe
Health experts say you should treat your vaccine card like you would an important document, credit card or your driver’s license.
It would be best if you stored it in a secure location like a safe or a desk drawer at all times. If you plan to keep it in a wallet, make sure it doesn’t get damp or bent. It’s unclear whether you should laminate your card (we’ve reached out to the CDC for clarification), but you could keep it in a clear name badge holder.
There will likely be a backup record of your vaccination status if you lose your card, but employing a few best practices when you get it could mitigate needing a new one down the line.
Related: You finally got vaccinated: Here’s what you’ll need for a digital health passport
Bottom line
It can be hard enough to simply get vaccinated against COVID-19, so you’ll want to safeguard your vaccine card as soon as you get inoculated.
It is possible some travelers may inadvertently lose or damage their cards. Take preventative measures in case this happens to you: Snap a photo of your vaccine card, make a note of the facility you got vaccinated at and register with the CDC text notification systems so you’ll be prepared to reach out to the correct sources in case your card gets damaged or lost.
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- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
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3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
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Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees