The Vaccine Card, Laminate, Yes, No

[roger001]

Since this question is being kicked around on several threads, here's what I Googled.

 

As for if lamination causes any possible damage to the card, Staples said it depends on how the card was printed.

To see if the lamination would ruin your card, it depends on if your card contains stickers and how they were printed.

 

"If your card has stickers that were printed using a thermal printer, then yes, the heat used during the lamination process will turn the sticker black and ruin it," a statement from the company reads.

To tell if the sticker is a thermal one, Staples said to gently scratch it with your fingernail. If the scratch turns black, the sticker is thermal, and you shouldn't laminate the original card.

Instead, make a photocopy of your card and, laminate that one. You can keep your original one someplace safe.

[ColeThornton]

I wouldn't laminate the original anyway, it still has empty blocks on it for future shots like a booster, if needed.

[Outerdog]

Cold laminate is a thing.

 

Also, fake vax cards are easy to make. So easy that some of the real ones are printed on regular paper and not card stock as one might expect. The handwriting is sometimes illegible. They don't all feature the CDC logo (like Walgreens).

 

When I got my first shot, my insurance information and primary care provider information was taken. I imagine this would be used to create a medical record. Are the states doing the same thing? I don't know.

 

I seriously doubt the cards will be useful for anything other than posting on social media. The discussions around "vaccine passports" support this notion.

 

[Laszlo]

I was told Not to laminate. Take a picture of it and put it away

[milolii]

 Thank you Roger001, Good discussion, useful information and topic. 

 

Do not laminate as the card has spaces for boosters, which may be required next year.  Immunization sites should tell patients this. 
 

Customs agents may determine card has been “tampered with.” LOL  I mean who wants that grief? 

 

Card will most likely be needed for international travel, with many countries discussing vaccine passports. 
 

Some suggestions include a plastic sleeve or zip lock bags for protection. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[billslowsky]

2 hours ago, Outerdog said:

When I got my first shot, my insurance information and primary care provider information was taken. I imagine this would be used to create a medical record. Are the states doing the same thing? I don't know.

 

 

 

Insurance information is used to bill your insurance company for the cost of administering the shot.  Mine paid about $17.  The cost of the vaccine is paid by the feds.  If you don't have insurance, the cost of the administration is paid by the feds.

[Norseh2o]

Make a copy of the side with the vaccine information, laminate the copy, carry in wallet. Place original vaccine card with your passport.

[teacherman]

We are in Michigan and got our 2nd shot last week.  We were told that our vaccinations are registered with the Michigan Dept of Health, and are also maybe forwarded to our personal physician.  There is talk of some type of vaccination "passport/registry" being offered for travel outside the country.  Some countries require proof of vaccination against things besides Covid, so it would probably be easier to have access to a passport-type thing instead of trying to get a different proof card, or something, every time you travel.  One difficulty I see with these summer cruises is that the departure countries, and the visited countries, may all have their own requirements for testing, so it will be interesting to see how it is all handled by the cruise lines.  As far as a "fake" card, I believe that there is a way to check which "lot" of vaccine you actually received and not just look at something written on a card.

[CaptainHazelwood]

1 hour ago, Norseh2o said:

Make a copy of the side with the vaccine information, laminate the copy, carry in wallet. Place original vaccine card with your passport.

+1.  This is exactly what I plan to do once we get our second shots next week.  The card won't fit in my wallet, but should fit fine inside my passport book.  I'll keep the passport card and a copy of the vaccine card in my wallet.

[casofilia]

We have had actual visas put in our passports with embossing on them.   That would be a more effective way of having an official statement.

[TrumpyNor]

In Norway the current vaccine card is available as an electronic file, if you want a paper version you have to print it out yourself. The electronic file can be downloaded as eg. a pdf and saved on my phone. When I receive my covid-vaccine I plan on storing the vaccine card on my phone. And for future travelling will probably bring with me a print-out on paper as well - "just in case". But as EU is currently working on having some kind of electronic "vaccine passport", Norway will probably change to that when it is available. 🙂 

Edited March 30, 2021 by TrumpyNor

[pghflyer]

I am not messing with my original at all, that just seems like it will come back and get you at some point.

[moto_italia]

For Convenience, Vaccine Passport Can Now Be Tattooed On Your Hand Or Forehead

https://babylonbee.com/news/for-convenience-vaccine-passport-can-now-be-tattooed-on-your-hand-or-forehead 

 

Edited March 30, 2021 by moto_italia

[hallux]

I got my second shot this afternoon.  I went to the Staples next door as I had heard that they will laminate for free.  They will, but if you want a copy to be laminated instead (highly suggested) they will do it (mine was done double-sided even) for a small fee, $2.56.  I just wish they'd made the cards a LITTLE smaller to fit in my every-day carry "wallet", especially when you add lamination...

[BirdTravels]

Late this year or this time next year, you will get your booster. (Trials for boosters underway). And you can’t record your booster on a laminated card. 

[DGP1111]

Mine was laminated very soon after vaccine completion, as well as photos saved for reference.

I was given a direct A-OK, first by the CDC and then FEMA. 

If some sort of additional dosage is needed/required, they will add the information to a brand new card. 

 

.

[HowardK]

8 hours ago, Norseh2o said:

Make a copy of the side with the vaccine information, laminate the copy, carry in wallet. Place original vaccine card with your passport.

This is what I am doing- made copies on my printer double sided and will laminate those. 

[Charles4515]

11 hours ago, Outerdog said:

 

 

When I got my first shot, my insurance information and primary care provider information was taken. I imagine this would be used to create a medical record. Are the states doing the same thing? I don't know.

 

 

 

It depends on your state. The states have a record but not all states let you get your record. Here in Maryland we can access our immunization record and there is even a beautifully colored and watermarked Certificate of Covid 19 Vaccination we can print out from the state heath department web site. 

[AKR2011]

I wouldn't laminate since there is space for possible boosters. However, you can buy 3x4 plastic covers that work great - think ID holders for conferences. A pack of two is $5.99 on Amazon, cheaper if you buy in bulk. That's what I went with, and it works great.

Edited March 31, 2021 by AKR2011

[need2cruisesoon]

Let's just do one of those punch card things that way every year when a new fake virus comes out we can punch the card and say we are part of the team.

[NW Pacific]

Wow! every State is much different!  In Oregon where we live, you get a card after your vaccination, it does say on it in right hand corner CDC, the clinic puts a sticker on it with serial number of vaccine, dates it, you fill in your name and date of  birth on card.  Have no idea how this would be registered with our Sate unless the consent forms you fill out with more information are inputted into a system.  Sounds like this will be a real debacle with every state different.  Just hoping what we have will get us onboard eventually!!!

[MSN-Travelers]

All this will turn into another government boondoggle. I'm from Wisconsin,  Their vaccination "scheme" was targeted at zipcodes hardest hit by covid.  Age and medical conditions played no part in who could/would get an appointment.  I gave up on my Healthcare provider and went to AZ where I, and my 64 yo wife, have gotten both of our shots.  I had already gotten my 1st shot when my provider sent me an invitation to make an appointment back in WI.

I do know that 1st shot information did appear in my WI medical record about a week after I got it.  I don't know if I will be in an AZ, WI or Fed er AL database.

Those of us that travel regularly should be able to have vaccination data added to our passports. 

[milolii]

Ok back to topic about to laminate or not.  Lots of great ideas. I had thought about using one of my past conference sleeves. Thanks for this. 
 

2 hours ago, AKR2011 said:

I wouldn't laminate since there is space for possible boosters. However, you can buy 3x4 plastic covers that work great - think ID holders for conferences. A pack of two is $5.99 on Amazon, cheaper if you buy in bulk. That's what I went with, and it works great.

 

[sailandcruise]

see https://www.marketwatch.com/story/dont-laminate-your-covid-vaccination-card-before-doing-these-5-things-11617134471?mod=home-page for advice on 5 things to do before laminating your card.

[graphicguy]

My Family Dr said it was OK to laminate, so I did.  I have a little home laminator that worked just fine.  I also made 3 copies, and laminated those, too.

 

Not taking any chances.