How to Keep Track of When You Got Your COVID-19 Vaccine

From work and family to grocery shopping, and doctor appointments, we all have a laundry list of daily responsibilities. Our to-do lists grow longer, and our ability to remember each task, appointment, and event becomes even more difficult.

Add one more thing to the list: getting your COVID-19 vaccine. For most, this process takes up to six weeks to be fully completed. Most wait anywhere between five and six weeks before hitting peak immunity from the coronavirus.

This considered, it can be a lot to keep track of—especially if you’re also responsible for the vaccination plan for parents, grandparents, or children.

Not to worry, our LifeHound team is here to help! We’re sharing our top tips to ensure your vaccination process is as smooth as can be.

Hold Onto Your Vaccination Card

Congrats! After receiving your first dose, you will receive a small, wallet-size vaccination card. These cards include:

• Which vaccine you received
  • For example Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or others
• The date of your first dose
• The date that you’re eligible for your second dose

It’s important to hold onto your vaccination card and ensure that it doesn’t get lost.  This is the first step in keeping track of when you received your COVID vaccine.

On the backside of each vaccination card, the date and time of your second appointment will be noted. Add this date and time to your calendar, so you don’t forget when you’re due for your second dose!

Don’t forget, you’re required to bring this card to your second appointment, so information about your second dose can be recorded as well.

Touching All Bases

As we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel of the COVID-19 pandemic looms in the air, we look to the future. 

Although nothing seems to be set in stone, there has been talk about how vaccination cards may be required to participate in post-COVID activities, such as traveling, attending school, or going to work. In many cases, you may eventually be required to show a copy of your vaccination card on your phone or digitally to gain access to planes or other means of publicly accessed transportation.

Although the paper method seems old-school, the information on your vaccination card can also be housed in electronic health systems and state immunization records.

The clinic, pharmacy, or medical center you visit to receive your vaccine will input your information at the time of vaccination, along with the dosage you received and the date. This information is then forwarded to the state, which keeps its own digital record.

In other words, your vaccination card is not the only proof of your vaccination that exists.

Regardless, we recommend that you snap a photo of your vaccination card when you receive it as a backup! Save the photo on your phone or computer so you can easily refer back to the date and time of your second appointment.

Or, if you want to be a life hack pro: Store this information on LifeHound so you always have it! This way, you won’t have to sift through your thousands of other photos to find it or risk deleting it. LifeHound also allows you to set a reminder for your second dose! It’s a win-win!

And although nothing is set in stone, there’s been talk about needing additional booster shots periodically. With LifeHound, you can go ahead and set these reminders as well in case. This way, you don’t have to worry about remembering it on a random day six or ten months down the road.

If you’ve misplaced your COVID vaccination card, contact your vaccine administrator. In most cases, your provider will be able to review the records and provide you with a new vaccination card. Of course, this is only with official proof of identity.

If you’re unable to get a hold of your administrator, you may also be able to contact your state health department’s Immunization Information System (IIS). IIS contact information is available here.

Regardless, obtaining a new vaccination card is a hassle, so do your best first time around to hold on tight to that very important, wallet-sized card!

Tools to Record Your Vaccinations

You can expect to receive a handout from most vaccination sites containing basic information after receiving your vaccine.

In addition to listing potential side effects and things to know, this handout contains access to a smartphone reminder system for your second appointment. Utilizing this tool will ensure that you receive your second dose on time!

For years research has shown that writing things down on paper increases the likelihood of you actually completing the task. Getting vaccinated is an important one to remember! Use this printable form from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to keep an updated history of your vaccinations. Grab that pen and paper!

Additional tools include:

• Calendar app (i.e. Google Calendar)
• Physical planner
• Trustworthy friend or family member to remind you
• Reminders and/or alarm apps on your phone

What If I Already Had COVID-19?

With vaccine distribution increasing every day, the question for those who have already contracted the virus becomes: how long to wait before getting my vaccine?

Initially, the CDC advised those who had already been diagnosed with COVID-19 to wait 90 days before getting vaccinated. As time has progressed, we’ve learned differently.

The only “waiting period guideline” prior to getting your vaccine after having the virus is that you are COVID and symptom-free at the time of your vaccination and that you have completed your quarantine period.

Why the change, you might ask? The initial reason for the nearly three-month waiting period is because the odds of reinfection within 90 days of having COVID is extremely rare.

While those who have had COVID-19 can and should make plans to become vaccinated, those who have already had the virus might consider waiting so that those without immunity can receive vaccines prior.

Of course, all of this depends on vaccine availability in your area.

Let’s Do This!

According to The New York Times, over three million vaccines are being administered per day across the United States. At this rate, it’s predicted there will be enough vaccinations for every American this month, May 2021. It will, however, take longer to administer all of these doses logistically, according to an article by USA Today.

With LifeHound, you can be immune to the stresses of the vaccination season! Our app offers the services to keep you organized and prepared for all your immunization needs. Sign up today for your free trial of LifeHound, no credit card required. Happy immunity!