TAMPA, Fla — If you’ve been vaccinated hopefully you still have the flimsy 4 by 3 inch white “Vaccination Record Card”
That small card has important information like the type of vaccine you received and when along with the date you were scheduled to come back if you needed a second dose.
It’s likely the only documentation you can show to prove you’ve been fully vaccinated, something that could become more and more important in the coming months, especially if you plan on traveling outside of Florida.
A judge issued a temporary injunction over the weekend, allowing Norwegian Cruise Lines to require passengers to show proof of vaccination before boarding their ships, an idea Governor Ron DeSantis has been fighting against.
If you plan to visit New York City any time soon, you might need the card to get into sporting events, indoor restaurants or even local gyms.
So how can you keep the card and some of the perks that come along with being vaccinated protected?
Experts suggest first using your phone or a digital camera to take a picture of both the front and back of your card.
Keep that image handy and you can likely even use it as proof of your vaccination in the future.
Some have suggested laminating the card - office supply stores like Staples will even do it for free.
But some of our local health departments are warning against that idea because once laminated, you can no longer record any booster shots that might be needed in the future.
Also, some vaccination sites used thermal labels to print out the information on your card, and the heat from lamination can make the entire sticker turn black making it unreadable.
Instead, consider a plastic sleeve to keep your card safe.
Just search COVID Vaccine Card Holders and you’ll get plenty of options on Amazon, even fancy “pleather” ones with CDC Vaccination Card printed right on the front.
Whatever you decide, the important thing is to keep your card protected and know where to find it.
And for anyone who has already lost their card? There is hope.
It’s recommended you head back to the same location where you got your vaccine to see if they can look up your record and make you a new card.
Publix confirms they’ll make a replacement for anyone who got vaccinated in one of their stores.
If that’s not an option, or you got your shot at one of since closed mass vaccination sites, you may want to check with your local health department.
Pinellas says they’ve run out of replacement vaccine cards but some counties, including Sarasota, will still make you one only if you make an appointment.