ATLANTA (CNN) – Vaccine eligibility in the U.S. is expanding rapidly, as is the popularity of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s small white card.
While plans are still being developed to establish standardized vaccination tests, many keep their Covid-19 vaccine cards as a potential form of social currency.
And companies, such as Staples and Office Depot, offer to help keep them safe with free lamination.
While it can be tempting for your vaccine card to roll out as soon as possible, you should take your time and make sure you’ve considered a few things before.
Here’s what you need to know about laminating your coveted vaccine card.
Please check your information again
If you are given a two-dose vaccine, be sure to receive and document both doses on the card before rolling it out.
Please check all your information again (including your name, date of birth, and the date and location of the vaccine).
Make sure you have a backup
You should definitely back up your card before laminating it.
Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and professor of public health at George Washington University, told CNN that she recommends taking a picture of the card after each dose.
“Take a photo after you get the first shot and then also the second, in case you lose the physical card,” he said. “Save the image to your phone and email a copy to be safe.”
Wen said he also recommends photocopying the card and keeping it in the same place as other important documents, such as the birth certificate.
After that, if you want to laminate your card, Wen tells you to “go for it.”
You know what to do if your card is damaged or lost
He worries that the lamination process could damage the cards, soil the ink, or make it unreadable.
But even if the card is damaged during the lamination process, there are options.
In the event of damage or loss of the card, you will need to contact your vaccine provider to obtain another one.
If you have trouble contacting your provider, you can visit the State Department of Health (IIS) Vaccination Information Systems CDC directory.
Although the CDCs themselves do not have information on vaccination records, providers must report vaccinations to the IIS or respective state record. Please contact your state phone number or email address to access your registration and obtain your new card.
The test is the most important: laminate or not
Some worry that lamination of their vaccine cards will cause problems in the future if reinforcing shots of the Covid-19 vaccine are needed.
Still, Wen says don’t worry.
“If you end up getting a boost later, you can always get a different card,” he said. “I wouldn’t let that be a deterrent.”
Ultimately, what beats everything is a laminate test or not.
“Lamination is not necessary if you follow all the other steps above,” Wen said. “The key is to have vaccination tests easily accessible.”
As long as you have the card, you are in a good place. Remember not to share it on social media.
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