Here’s what to do if you’ve lost your vaccination record

It is possible, but not necessarily easy, to replace a vaccination record, so keep it tight.

Anyone vaccinated against COVID-19 receives a small rectangular piece of white paper as a vaccination record, and is warned not to misplace or laminate it. With more and more facilities requiring proof of vaccination, anyone with the card is at risk of losing it.

First, if you haven’t already, take a picture of your vaccination record. A clear photo is the proof that most establishments demand.

To keep it private and avoid scrolling through your entire camera roll, consider saving it to a hidden folder. On an iPhone, go to the Share button in Photos and select Hide; to find it, tap on Albums and scroll down to Utilities, where there will be a hidden folder (you can further password protect it in settings). IPhone users can also scan documents to the Notes app and then lock it with a password.

Some states have developed apps to store the information, and anyone using Google Pay or Apple Wallet can add a digital vaccination passport with VaxYes (follow the easy steps on their website).

If it’s too late and you’ve lost the card, here’s what you can do, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

1. Contact your health care provider or the place where you were vaccinated. They can print another copy of your vaccination record.
2. If you signed up for v-safe when you received the vaccine, your record will be kept there. (If you haven’t registered, it’s too late now.)
3. Complete a vaccination record request form, which goes to DPH, to receive a complete history of all vaccines you have received, not just the COVID-19 vaccine. However, it can take up to six weeks to get your records, and must be mailed and notarized, so this is not a quick fix.

All in all, if you are worried about losing the card, it is best to scan it using one of the methods above and leave the original copy at home in a safe place.