Here’s how to get a replacement Pennsylvania vaccination card if you’ve lost or damaged yours.

The pandemic is not yet over.

The delta variant is contributing to a wave of new COVID-19 cases across the country, including in the Philadelphia area where increased transmission is the current reality.

And now some businesses – from local restaurants like Martha in Kensington to Broadway theaters in New York City – are implementing proof of vaccination policies that require you to show your vaccination record (or a photo of your card) to enter. .

Immunization cards, however, are simply made of paper, and sometimes things happen – they can be lost, damaged or destroyed.

If you lose or damage your vaccination card and need a replacement, there are several ways to get a new one in Pennsylvania, depending on whether you were vaccinated in the city of Philadelphia or outside of Philadelphia.

Here’s what to do if you lose or damage your vaccination record.

»READ MORE: Should I laminate my vaccination record? What if you lost it? Here are the dos and don’ts.

If you’ve been vaccinated at a pharmacy or health clinic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you contact the pharmacy or clinic. Jim Garrow, director of communications for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, supports this advice.

“We understand that sometimes things happen and the cards get lost or damaged,” says Garrow. “We told people to go back to a clinic where they were vaccinated and they should be able to get a new one.”

This also applies to those who have been vaccinated at clinics run by the city.

If you’ve been vaccinated at a city-run clinic that’s now closed – like the FEMA clinic at the Convention Center – Garrow suggests going to “any clinic in the health department” and explaining your situation.

“[They] should be able to look at the file and provide the person with an updated map, ”says Garrow.

The CDC notes online that you can also try going through the State Immunization Information System, which in the Commonwealth is known as the Statewide Immunization Information System. State of Pennsylvania (PA-SIIS). PA-SIIS is an immunization registry system operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Health that collects and organizes vaccine history information.

Maggi Barton, deputy state health department press secretary, recommends going through the state health ministry’s PA-SIIS system and avoiding trying to go through your vaccine supplier if you have been vaccinated outside of Philly.

“If Pennsylvanians need a copy of their immunization status, they can request a copy of their immunization records by visiting the Department of Health website,” Barton said. “Individuals should contact us at DOH for these vaccination records. “

To do this, you can send an email to PA-SIIS at [email protected], and you will receive a form to fill out and return to obtain your vaccination record. While there is no set timeline for a response, Barton says the DOH “will respond as soon as possible” and the department “is currently working to improve this process.”

People who take this route can specify how they want to receive their immunization records, such as by mail or email, Barton explains.

READ MORE: It’s the restaurants in Philadelphia that require proof of vaccination

No. PA-SIIS is only for people vaccinated outside of Philadelphia, Garrow says. So if you have been vaccinated in town, you should start by going back to where you were vaccinated, rather than using the state system.

“The PA-SIIS is only useful for people who have been vaccinated outside of Philly, so if people have been vaccinated in one of the suburban counties it will work,” Garrow said. “In Philly, in the short term, pharmacies and health clinics that [you] were originally vaccinated to should have the ability to provide new cards.

People who have misspellings on their immunization cards or who have changed their name since being vaccinated can get new cards corrected.

If you have been vaccinated in town, Garrow says returning to your vaccine supplier to apply for a new card “should work for name changes and errors, provided sufficient identification is presented.”

Outside of Philadelphia, Barton says PA-SIIS is the way to go.

“All changes of information, name, demographics, etc. are carried out via PA-SIIS, ”she says. “The ministry makes every effort to ensure that revisions are made upon request. “

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