{"id":27247,"date":"2021-12-19T16:55:26","date_gmt":"2021-12-19T16:55:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rbsitsoftwaresolution.com\/blog\/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-put-your-covid-19-vaccine-card-on-your-phone.html"},"modified":"2021-12-19T16:55:26","modified_gmt":"2021-12-19T16:55:26","slug":"traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-put-your-covid-19-vaccine-card-on-your-phone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rbsitsoftwaresolution.in\/blog\/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-put-your-covid-19-vaccine-card-on-your-phone.html","title":{"rendered":"Traveling for the holidays? Here’s how to put your COVID-19 vaccine card on your phone"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As the COVID-19 omicron variant hits the U.S., restaurants, gyms and other venues across the country are once again asking for proof of vaccination.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n Sarah Tew\/CNET
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New York City recently announced the nation’s strictest COVID-19 vaccine mandate, requiring proof of vaccination for adults and kids as young as 5 to enter restaurants, gyms, movie theaters and just about any other entertainment venue or place of business.<\/p>\n

With the new COVID-19 omicron variant<\/span>\u00a0appearing more contagious than earlier strains, many other regions are following suit, so having your vaccine record handy is more important than ever. But you don’t have to keep the printed version in your wallet or purse. To prevent\u00a0damage or loss<\/span>, we recommend storing it in your phone instead. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Not sure how? We’ll show you ways you can store your vaccine card digitally — including the methods to use if you have an Android or iPhone, and whether or not your state has a specific app.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Carrying your physical proof of vaccination around with you isn’t the safest option.<\/p>\n

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\n US Department of Defense
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Which states are using vaccination record apps?<\/h2>\n

While some governors have signed orders banning so-called vaccine passports, many other states have apps that allow residents to\u00a0 store a digital version of their vaccine cards on their smartphones, including California<\/a>,\u00a0Colorado<\/a>, Hawaii,<\/a>\u00a0New York<\/a>\u00a0and Louisiana<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Colorado residents, for example, can download the\u00a0myColorado app<\/a>: After you create an account, verify your identity and add a\u00a0 digital version of your driver’s license to your phone, you can add your myVaccine record to the app.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Louisiana’s\u00a0LA Wallet app<\/a>\u00a0takes a similar approach, allowing you to add your driver’s license and proof of vaccination to your phone.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The state of California requires you to\u00a0fill out a form to verify your identity<\/a>, after which you’ll receive a text or email with a link to a QR code you can save to your phone. When scanned, the code will offer proof of vaccination. The link will also include a digital copy of your vaccination record.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Illinois residents can use\u00a0VaxVerify<\/a>, which uses Experian for identity verification. <\/p>\n

MyIR Mobile<\/a>\u00a0is used by several state health departments, including Arizona, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Dakota, Washington, West Virginia and Washington, DC.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Delaware<\/a>,\u00a0New Mexico<\/a> and\u00a0Michigan<\/a> are also using web portals for residents to access their vaccination status online.\u00a0<\/p>\n

New Yorkers have two app options: The Excelsior Pass<\/a> app and NYC Covid Safe<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We’ll continue to update this feature as more states offer apps and features to store your COVID-19 vaccine card online. And keep in mind if you get a\u00a0booster dose<\/span>, you’ll need to re-upload your vaccine card.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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What if my state doesn’t have an app that lets me store my card?
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If your state doesn’t have an iPhone or Android app that lets you store a copy of your vaccination record, there are other ways to keep it on your phone. What qualifies as valid proof, however, can vary by state, city, county and even business.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some places may accept a photo of your physical vaccination card: For example, concert producer\u00a0AEG Presents accepts<\/a>\u00a0a “physical copy of a COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card, a digital copy of such card or such other proof as is permitted locally.” But you definitely want to research first if your city, county or state does the same.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Along with public school mandates,\u00a0hundreds of private colleges<\/a>\u00a0are also requiring students and employees to be vaccinated:\u00a0Seattle University<\/a>, which requires students to be vaccinated to attend in-person classes, offers an online form to upload photos of the front and back of your vaccination card.<\/p>\n

When in doubt, look for information on the business’s website or call the local health department and ask for clarification. This is bound to save you time and the risk of being turned away at the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Can I store my car with Google Pay or Apple Wallet?<\/h2>\n

If you have an\u00a0iPhone ($332 at Amazon<\/a>)<\/span>, you can store your COVID-19 vaccination card on your\u00a0Apple Wallet<\/span>\u00a0to present whenever you need to show you’re fully vaccinated. (You can keep a copy in the\u00a0Health app, too.) The WatchOS 8.1 update allows you to keep your card handy on your\u00a0Apple Watch<\/span>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you have an Android, you can add your\u00a0vaccine card to the Google Pay app<\/a>\u00a0and even add a shortcut icon to your home screen to find it quickly.<\/p>\n

Samsung Pay can also store your vaccine record
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Samsung now gives Galaxy phone owners the option to add proof of vaccination to Samsung Pay<\/span>. You’ll need to download the\u00a0CommonHealth app\u00a0(Samsung’s partner) from the Google Play Store and follow the prompts in the app to verify your vaccination status.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Samsung Galaxy device users can store proof of vaccination in Samsung Pay by downloading the CommonHealth app.<\/p>\n

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Once the app confirms you’ve indeed gotten the jabs, you’ll be prompted to download a Smart Health Card to Samsung Pay which you can show to anyone requesting you show proof of vaccination. It beats having to fiddle around with photo albums and tapping through multiple screens before you’re able to show it to a bouncer or ma\u00eetre d’.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Will a picture of my vaccine card work?<\/h2>\n

The simplest way to have a digital record of your vaccine status is to snap a photograph of your vaccination card and keep it on your phone. Even the CDC recommends<\/a>\u00a0keeping a picture of your card as a backup copy.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

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Taking a photo of your card — front and back — is the quickest and easiest way to store it on your phone.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n Sean Booker\/CNET
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You can make the photo a favorite to quickly locate it or store it in a notes app, a folder or somewhere easy to remember. Make sure you’re in a well-lit area and get close enough to the card that the dates and other details are legible. I also suggest putting the card on a dark surface, and try to eliminate shadows from your arms or the phone itself.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Here’s one way iPhone users can save their vaccination card as a new photo album: Open the Photos app, select the Albums<\/strong> tab and then tap the plus (+) sign<\/strong> in the top-left corner followed by New Album<\/strong>. Give the album a name and then tap Save<\/strong>. Next, select the photos of your card to add them to the album.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

On an Android, it depends on which app you’re using, but the process should generally be the same. If you’re using the Google Photos app, open the app and then select the picture of your vaccination card. Tap the three-dot menu button<\/strong> in the top-right corner, followed by the Add to Album<\/strong> button. Select +New album<\/strong> and give it a name such as “Vaccination Card” and tap the checkmark button when you’re done.<\/p>\n

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The Notes app on the iPhone has a built-in scanner that makes it really easy to quickly scan your vaccination card and store a copy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n Screenshots by Jason Cipriani\/CNET
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What else can I use?<\/h2>\n

I’ve had a large number of readers reach out to me about this article, each one offering advice and guidance about storing a proof of vaccination card.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some suggestions include well-known airport security service Clear. In fact, some concert and exhibition halls require that attendees use Clear to verify their vaccination status to attend a show. You can go to clearme.com\/healthpass<\/a><\/span> to download the app and get your card added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

VaxYes<\/a>\u00a0is another service that verifies your vaccination status and then adds your vaccination card to your Apple Wallet. I’ve read that you can add your card to the Google Pay app, but after signing up and going through the process myself, I don’t see the option on a Pixel 5 running Android 12.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If your local municipality or employer used the CDC’s Vaccine Administration Management System, then\u00a0you can use the VAMS website to access your vaccination records<\/a>. I had more than one reader reach out to me about using this system to show proof of vaccination, but without an account myself, I’m unable to go through the process of accessing a vaccination record.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another suggestion I received from multiple readers is to use a scanner app on your phone and store a scanned copy of your vaccination card in something like your OneDrive personal vault or a password manager (almost all of them offer some sort of secure file storage) instead of storing the photo in Google Photos or Apple’s iCloud photos. On an iPhone, you can use the scanner that’s\u00a0built into the Notes app<\/span>. On Android,\u00a0Google’s Stack PDF scanner<\/a>\u00a0will be enough to get the job done.<\/p>\n

This story will update as the national vaccine conversation continues. For more information about the booster shots from Pfizer<\/span>, Moderna<\/span> and Johnson Johnson<\/span>, make sure\u00a0to read this primer<\/span>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.<\/em>\n <\/p>\n