Now that anyone over the age of 16 in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, many people now have their vaccination cards. These cards are important documents that may be required as proof of vaccination for travel and other situations. We’ve compiled some helpful do’s and don’ts with this latest pandemic development, one that has been eagerly awaited for months.

WHAT TO DO

Take a photograph of your card as a backup copy, and keeping the actual card stored with other important documents such as birth certificates and passports.

Print and laminate the copy to use for general purposes. Experts are divided as to whether laminating the original is a good idea because booster shots may be needed in the future. At this time it’s unknown whether we’ll need to get COVID-19 shots regularly like annual flu shots. If that is the case, though a new supplementary card could be issued. Office Depot and Office Max are  offering free lamination services through July 25; Staples also is laminating cards for free, with no end date.

If you lose your card, contact the site where you got vaccinated. You can request a duplicate record since they will have your records on file.  

WHAT NOT TO DO

Don’t post your card on social media. Because the card contains your name and birthday as well as information about where you got vaccinated, showing your card on social media is a security risk. Identity thieves could piece together that information with other data they steal to open new accounts in your name, claim your tax refund, and more. The Federal Trade Commission suggests posting a photo of just your arm with the adhesive bandage on the injection site, or your white or orange vaccine sticker.

Don’t fall for vaccine card scams. If you haven’t been vaccinated, don’t buy fake cards  that hundreds of online scammers have been selling on sites such as eBay, Etsy and Shopify. The FBI has warned that anyone using a false vaccination card could be charged with knowingly putting others at risk for COVID-19 if they use it to travel, attend events or return to work.

Mister Kleen, a leading provider of contract cleaning services to Commercial and High Security facilities in the DC Metro region since 1976, strongly encourages everyone including staff to get their COVID-19 vaccination. Click here for our blog post with links on where you can find more information on where to get vaccinated in Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland.