Snagging that COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card is one of the most exciting parts of getting the jab, but it’s easy to lose track of the vital piece of paper—so California has opted for a digital version.
The online tool, available via myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov, provides a quick and convenient way for locals to access their record from the state’s immunization registry system.
“While CDPH [California Department of Public Health] recommends that vaccinated Californians keep their paper CDC card in a safe and secure place, we recognize that some people might prefer an electronic version,” California State Epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan said in a statement. “And if one of the state’s nearly 20 million vaccinated Californianas misplaces their paper card, the Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record [DCVR] provides a convenient backup.”
A joint effort between the CDPH and California Department of Technology, the SMART Health Card-based feature requires users to enter the name, date of birth, and email or mobile phone number associated with their vaccine record. Then, after creating a four-digit PIN, you’ll receive a direct link to your personal vaccination information.
“We worked with CDPH, tech industry leaders, and consulted with California’s top businesses, service, and event purveyors to create a system that works well for all sectors,” according to Amy Tong, director of the California Department of Technology. “We achieved our goal to quickly produce an intuitive portal that offers Californians another way, and an easier way, to access their own COVID-19 immunization history.”
The DCVR includes the same facts as the paper version—name, date of birth, date of vaccination(s), and vaccine manufacturer—as well as a QR code that makes the same data readable by a QR scanner. Users are encouraged to screenshot the digital details and save it to their phone files or camera roll. But please don’t share those images on social media, where, as the Better Business Bureau points out, “you may be giving valuable information away for anyone to use.”
There’s no telling how Californians will react to this rollout. A recent MIT Technology Review study found that US efforts to slow the spread of COVID using contact-tracing apps were undermined by many Americans’ lack of trust in the government and big tech companies.
