Have you lost your vaccination card? Here’s how to prove you’re fully vaccinated

With the delta variant continuing to cause a spike in COVID-19 cases, more schools and businesses across the state are now requiring people to mask themselves or get vaccinated – sometimes both.

Earlier this month, President Joe Biden also announced that all businesses with 100 or more employees must ensure every worker is either vaccinated against COVID or tested weekly.

According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, approximately 4,800 businesses and 1.4 million workers fall under this mandate.

To prove their immunization status, some places require customers to present their physical immunization card or a photo of the card on a mobile device.

But what if you misplace or throw away your paper map? How can you prove that you have been vaccinated?

Don’t worry, you have several options. But whatever you do not buy a fake on the Internet.

I lost my vaccination card. How can I get a new one?

People who lost their vaccination card before receiving their second dose can request a new card during their second vaccination appointment. If you must, make sure that the first dose is also recorded on this new card.

The Minnesota Department of Health does not have replacement cards for those who lost their COVID-19 vaccine card or for those who ended up with two vaccine cards. However, you can view your vaccination history through the Minnesota Department of Health’s Find My Immunization record.

Last week, the state launched a new app called Docket that allows people to view and access their immunization records – including for COVID-19 – instantly. Users will be able to save a PDF document from their records.

Health care providers, pharmacists, and other practitioners submit immunization information to the state database called the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) each time they administer an injection.

“The Docket app gives Minnesotans a digital option to access their vaccination history in MIIC, check which vaccines you or your children can be expected for, and see what vaccines you might need in the future,” said the state director of infectious diseases, Kris Ehresmann. “It’s vital to making sure people are protected from preventable diseases. ”

What not to do: buy a vaccination card on the Internet

As more and more places require proof of vaccination to enter or work, fake vaccination cards are circulating.

In May, the owner of a northern California bar was arrested after authorities said he sold fake COVID-19 vaccination cards to order for $ 20 each.

In June, a naturopathic doctor in northern California was arrested for selling fake COVID-19 treatments and vaccination cards.

In August, after two tourists were arrested after allegedly using fake vaccination cards to travel to Hawaii, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., called on federal law enforcement agencies to target online sales of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and to launch a campaign clearly indicating that forging them could lead people to federal prison.

Unauthorized use of the seal of an official government agency such as Health and Human Services or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a federal crime punishable by a fine and up to five years in prison.

In March, the FBI said the fake COVID vaccine cards were negatively impacting public health. “By mistakenly presenting yourself as vaccinated when you enter schools, public transport, workplaces, gyms or places of worship, you put yourself and others at risk of contracting COVID-19. The agency said.

How Facebook, Amazon and other social media platforms crack down on fake vaccination cards

Ecommerce and social media sites are also taking note.

An Amazon spokesperson told NPR that they “do not allow the products in question in our store. We have implemented proactive measures to prevent the list of banned products and we are constantly monitoring our store. ”

Facebook also says it doesn’t allow anyone to buy or sell COVID vaccine cards.

State attorneys general are also paying attention.

In April, a bipartisan coalition of 47 state attorneys general, including Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, sent a letter to online platforms Twitter, Shopify and eBay, urging companies to “take immediate action to prevent your platforms are not used as a vehicle to commit these fraudulent and deceptive acts that harm our communities.

MPR News reporter Catharine Richert and The Associated Press contributed to this report.