CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — Don’t worry if you’ve lost your COVID-19 vaccine card, there are several ways you can get it replaced.
With vaccination proof required for entry in multiple workplaces, colleges and even all indoor activities in New York City, the card can be your key to entry.
No matter where you got your shots, getting a replacement card is possible.
If you got vaccinated at local store or pharmacy
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends contacting your vaccination provider directly to receive a new card. That could be Walgreens, CVS, a local hospital, or your local pharmacy.
Walgreens and CVS both state they will write a replacement card for you based on their records of your COVID-19 vaccination.
If you got the vaccine at Walmart or Sam’s Club, there will soon be a digital version of your card available created by a coalition of private and public organizations. That initiative will also issue an app to various businesses and organizations that will allow them to check the digital vaccination cards.
The QR digital vaccination system will also roll out in the State of California and Louisiana and is already in use in New York through its Excelsior Pass.
If you got vaccinated at a mass vaccination site
If you can’t contact a provider directly or you attended a mass-vaccination site run by the state, the CDC recommends contacting the health department for your state.
All vaccinations are reported to those agencies, and individuals can request a copy of their records.
Other tools
Additional tool are the online portals v-safe and VaxText, which are maintained by the CDC and can be used to access your information if you registered with them after your shots.
The CDC also encourages everyone to take a picture of their vaccine card as a back-up if something happens to the physical version.
Be on the lookout for fake cards
With COVID-19 cards being required for entry in more places, there has been a rise in fake COVID-19 cards.
Fake cards can be found as cheaply as $25 on Instagram and are prolific all over the internet.
In March, the concern over fake COVID-19 vaccination cards prompted the FBI to issue a joint statement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services urging people not to buy, create or sell fabricated vaccine cards.
The unauthorized use of the seal of an official government agency such as HHS or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a federal crime that carries a possible fine and a maximum of five years in prison.
In April, a bipartisan coalition of 47 state attorneys general sent a letter to the CEOs of Twitter, Shopify and eBay to take down ads or links selling the bogus cards.
Many of the sites have blacklisted keywords related to fake cards, but places to buy the documents are still popping up on messaging apps, chat forums and the dark web.