As COVID-19 vaccine requirements remain in place across Chicago and parts of Cook County, some individuals have reported losing or damaging their vaccine cards.
As of this month, Chicago and Cook County's vaccine mandate requires all people ages 5 and older to show proof of vaccination before entering restaurants, bars and gyms, among other indoor spots.
So what should you do if you lose your card?
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may have its logo on COVID vaccination cards, it does not readily have the information available to print off new ones. Instead, state health departments and health providers will, and that’s where the search for a new card should begin.
Here is who individuals should contact if they need to get a new copy of proof of their COVID vaccinations, according to the CDC.
Health Care Providers
The very first step that individuals should take if they lose or damage their cards, or if they never received a card, is to contact the health care provider that administered the shot.
Local
Many companies, including CVS and Walgreen’s, will keep records of those vaccinations and can help individuals get new cards. Other providers, including hospitals who run mass vaccination clinics, may also be able to help.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
State Information Systems
If you are unable to contact your provider, then your state health department should be able to help through their Immunization Information System. Vaccination providers are required by law to report COVID-19 vaccinations to IIS and other systems.
Illinois’ records can be accessed through this portal.
Indiana records for COVID-19 vaccinations can be accessed through an online portal as well.
V-Safe or VaxText
If a person is in need of proof of vaccination to receive a second or third dose of COVID vaccine, then the V-Safe and TaxText programs can also help.
Those programs, designed to obtain information on how individuals have fared after receiving their vaccines, will also have vaccination information available to individuals who signed up, according to the CDC.
Other Options
If all else fails, individuals can contact their local health departments for more information on how to proceed if a card is lost or damaged.
Something to Remember
Officials do warn individuals that they may not receive a paper card to replace the one that has been lost or damaged. Some states only provide digital COVID vaccination proof, but those policies differ by state, and individuals should contact their health departments for more information.
How to Add Your Vaccine Card to Your Phone
To avoid losing the physical vaccination card, Apple and Android have provided ways to access digital proof of vaccination.
For a full breakdown of how to add your vaccine card to your Apple and Android devices, click here.
