The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is phasing out COVID-19 vaccination cards, which means it would stop printing the once crucial pandemic documents as the federal government is no longer distributing coronavirus vaccines.
The federal government shipped over 980 million COVID-19 vaccination cards between late 2020 and May 10 this year. The documents started when the first coronavirus vaccines came out.
CDC Phases Out COVID-19 Vaccination Cards
Despite the decision, federal and local health officials do not expect that the discontinuation of the printing of the vaccination cards will be a considerable change. This is because the days of keeping the cards tucked in purses and wallets to ensure entry into festivals, bars, and restaurants are no longer the norm.
For those who have continued to keep their vaccination cards, it is still considered valid proof of vaccination. Otherwise, people who need their COVID-19 immunization records will have to request them just like any other vaccine, as per ABC News.
In most instances, the clinic, pharmacy, or health department that provided the vaccine to an individual can provide such records. Additionally, every state and some cities have an immunization registry, but rules may differ on when records are included and options for obtaining copies of said records.
The ones from mass vaccination sites held early in the coronavirus pandemic should also be available in those registries, depending on various state laws. There is currently no national registry for immunization records.
For instance, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District spokesman David Andres Alegria said that the state of Texas requires patients' written consent to be included in the registry. Other areas in the United States, including Wyoming and Philadelphia's city-specific record system, need vaccine providers to log all vaccinations.
Does the Document Still Have Uses?
Additionally, the cards are less important because many states now offer digital vaccination records for individuals online or through an app. According to the Associated Press, users can save a certificate or a QR code that proves they have received the coronavirus vaccine.
While the CDC is phasing out the COVID-19 vaccination cards, some people may wonder if the ones that they currently have are still needed for other activities, such as traveling abroad. All countries no longer require travelers to present a vaccination card to enter their territory.
However, this does not mean that a potential surge of cases in the future will not force authorities to once again mandate flyers to show their cards when entering a different country. The Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children's Hospital, Sharon Nachman, MD, said that the vaccination cards are not worthless. On the other hand, a spokesperson for the CDC, Kate Grusich, urged people to keep a copy of their records in case they need them later.
Grusich said that if people have any questions regarding their vaccination records or cards, they can contact their state health department's immunization program, and not the CDC, to get access to their records, said Very Well Health.
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