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Q&A Of The Day - What To Do If You’ve Lost Your COVID-19 Vaccination Card
Each day I feature a listener question sent by one of these methods.
Email: brianmudd@iheartmedia.com
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Today’s entry: Thank you for all you do to keep us informed! Quick question. I’m vaccinated but can’t seem to find my vaccination card. With everything that’s going on right now I want to have it on hand in case I need it. What do you do if you’re vaccinated but lose your card?
Bottom Line: You’re not alone in losing your card and the good news is you should be able to get proof of vaccination without a huge hassle. Getting another CDC card however...that might not happen. While the CDC issues the vaccination cards, they don’t keep specific vaccination records (at least in theory). In Florida there are three different places you can turn to seek a new proof of vaccination. I’ll work backwards starting with the state.
- The Florida Department of Health is the final repository of patient specific vaccination information. This is true of vaccination records, not just COVID-19 vaccinations. Through the Florida SHOTS system, medical service providers can access records.
- Your county health department is the next stop. Each county’s health department has access to the vaccination records for residents in their county kept by the state’s SHOTS system.
- The administrator of the vaccination. For those who were vaccinated through temporary sites this isn’t an option. For all others, such as those who were vaccinated at Publix for example, this is an option.
Generally speaking, you’re unlikely to get another CDC issued card. They’re clear about the importance of hanging onto that card when it’s issued along with the guidance that there’s only one issued per person vaccinated. The likelihood of not being issued multiple cards isn’t born out of indignance. It’s aimed at preventing duplicated reporting between local, state and federal agencies in addition to reigning in fraud. To that end, what you’re likely to receive is a printout providing proof of vaccination. Generally speaking, that should do the trick if you are ever asked to provide proof. I’ve yet to see any mandates that only CDC cards will be accepted as proof. So how should you go about getting that proof? Your best bet is likely to start with what’s closest to you.
If you were vaccinated at a permanent location, a phone call to the pharmacy which administered the vaccination is the best place to start. Explain your situation and they’ll likely be able to direct you to a way to obtain proof of vaccination. Incidentally, some who have pharmacy apps or were administered the vaccine at their medical service provider may have those records available to them online in their medical profile. If that’s the case you could just print that record out without having to contact anyone. If that’s not an option to you or if for some reason you’re not met with success, check with your county health department. They have access to your records and should be able to assist with providing that proof. Then if all else fails reach out to the Florida Department of Health and explain your situation.
The good news is the record of your vaccination exists. It’s just a matter of getting it. For all of the rest of us, it's a good idea to keep your CDC vaccination card in your wallet or purse and just leave it there for the foreseeable.