Have you or someone you know received the COVID-19 vaccine, and keep losing the card? Try out the digital path with your iPhone, Android, or Galaxy.
As the COVID-19 Pandemic, and its many variants, is still in full force across small businesses, schools, government agencies and across the globe, proof of vaccination is key nowadays going into any event or trying to leave the country for business or pleasure. In some cases, these mandates just apply to employees, but in others, customers and visitors must show they’re up-to-date on their doses, too.
If you’re traveling abroad, verifying your current vaccination status is more important than ever. But you don’t have to keep your printed record in your wallet or purse anymore. To avoid damaging or losing your vaccine card, you can easily store it on your phone.
“Having my vaccine information on my phone is so much easier,” Aaron Richardson, SFCC sophomore, said. “I don’t have to worry about damaging or losing my card, I just have it right in my Apple Wallet.”
Even with the country split on their decision with allowing their citizens the digital download of their vaccine cards, you can still get into places with having a picture of your vaccine card in your camera roll. Even though states like Kentucky, Texas, Wyoming, Maine and many others are not on board with having digital records of the vaccine for smartphones, they are not denying that it could potentially work out in the near future. With Legislation passing left and right from government officials who don’t want the vaccine passport to be a digital access, everyday people are still deciding if it’s really a bad thing to have or not.
“I still have my vaccine card, laminated and always in my wallet,” Ryan Parker, Arkansas resident, said, “I just feel safer with having it the old fashioned way than having the government all up in my business like they usually are.”
It’s always easier to add your vaccine information on your phone and to keep it safe at all times. Losing it and dealing with the wait time with your local health department trying to get a new card is always a hassle and time consuming. Some people have even gone to the extra measure and taken a picture of their card and saved it in their photo gallery on their phones just to be extra safe at that time of need at either sporting, music, movie, or travel events.
“I use all three methods of storing my COVID-19 vaccine information, and make sure it’s with me at all times,” Corey Yanks, Washington resident said, “I have a photo, physical card, as well as my Apple Wallet proof of my vaccine and my booster shot, just to be safe.”
If you haven’t gotten your vaccine card on your phone yet, and are interested in doing just that, follow these simple steps below on getting them on your phone today.
iPhone: If given a downloadable file from WAverify.org, follow these 3 easy steps.
- Tap the download link on your iPhone or iPod touch.
- For verifiable vaccination records, tap Add to Wallet & Health to add the record to the Health app and Wallet app.
- Tap Done
Apple Watch: The WatchOS 8.1 update allows you to keep your card handy through your Apple Wallet too.
Android:
- With your device, visit the website, app, email, or text from your healthcare provider.
- Find your COVID-19 vaccination or test information.
- Find and tap Save to phone. If you’re asked if you want to save with Chrome or Google Pay, choose Google Pay even if you don’t have the Google Pay app.
- Tap Continue.
Samsung: Galaxy owners have the option to add proof of vaccination to Samsung Pay. To access Samsung’s Vaccine Pass, you can download either the IBM Digital Health Pass Wallet or the CommonHealth app from the Google Play Store and follow the prompts to verify your vaccination status. Once the app confirms you’ve indeed gotten the jabs, you’ll be prompted to download a Smart Health Card to Samsung Pay that you can show to anyone requesting you show proof of vaccination.
For more information in the state of Washington, visit https://waverify.doh.wa.gov/ and get the digital records today.