SPOKANE, Wash. — Everyone who got the COVID-19 vaccine also received a card to prove it. These small pieces of paper are easy to misplace if not put directly into a card case or holder.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced a new vaccination mandate Monday, telling most state employees and health care workers to get vaccinated or find another job. So what happens when someone got the vaccine but lost the proof?
Washington and Idaho have different protocols for obtaining a new vaccination record.
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) made it pretty easy. Patients can get official proof without having to talk to anyone. DOH offers a free online site to get your medical records. MyIRMobile just needs you to register with your personal information, but after that, you can access your family's immunization records and print directly from the site. If someone don't have access to the internet, they can call the DOH at 833-829-4357 or email their office.
Idaho's process is slightly more complicated. There's no statewide online database from the Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) that can immediately give immunization records. You have a few choices.
The first option is to contact the health provider that administered your vaccine. Once you confirm your identity with them, there are two options. The first is to get a replacement card. You will have to return to the location of the vaccination to pick it up. The second is to get a secure PDF of your medical records emailed to you. It is easier to go straight to the source, so call the healthcare provider's medical records number. Another option is filling out the IRIS record request form (example below).
Here, you will fill out exactly what you need and either email, fax or mail to the DHW. If none of these options work, you can try calling the health district hotline's number.
When you get your vaccine card, make sure to take pictures of the front in back, just in case you misplace it. For extra safety, email it to yourself or favorite it so you can always go back to it.