As some of you may know, I’m an active member of many Facebook groups for interpreters and translators. I recently posted about how I meet my agencies’ requirement as a freelance medical interpreter for having my vaccine record on my person at all times during assignments in healthcare facilities. My state of Virginia now has an option to generate a QR code for your COVID-19 vaccination record, and I printed it on some vinyl sticker paper with my laser printer and adhered it to the back of my badge. Now, all I have to do is open the SMART Health Card Verifier app on my phone, scan the back of my badge, and voila! My vaccine record is displayed.
This is super handy because I was previously carrying around my vaccine card in a holder on a lanyard that I’d keep around my neck. While the vaccine card holder I purchased on Etsy was super cute, it often got in the way and, because I interpret a lot in pediatrics, ended up in the hands (and sometimes in vain, in the mouths) of the kiddos I’d interpret for. Fortunately I purchased a holder made of a material that could be wiped down, but still, annoying.
Since posting the photo of my handy dandy new QR code on the back of my badge, I’ve had a lot of folks asking me how they can get a QR code for their COVID-19 vaccine record. This is understandable because for us in-person medical interpreters, a QR code is a far more convenient way to provide your proof of vaccination. It’s also far more tamper-proof than a hand-written vaccine card! They’re also more secure and private.
Whether or not you can get your vaccine record in QR code form depends on a number of factors, such as where you were vaccinated (i.e. a clinic, local health department event, or pharmacy), and what state you were vaccinated in. I have some options below, but please feel free to let me know if I’m missing something or you have more information.
Get a QR Code from Your State
Below I’ve compiled a list of the information I have at this time for which states supply QR codes directly or partner with an app or service to do so.
| State | QR Code Available? | Where to get it… |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | NO | |
| Alaska | Possibly | https://app.myirmobile.com/auth/sign-in?state=AK |
| Arizona | YES | https://myirmobile.com/register/ |
| Arkansas | NO | |
| California | YES (verified) | https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/ or https://patient.healthvana.com/ (LA county) |
| Colorado | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| Connecticut | NO | |
| Delaware | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| Florida | NO | |
| Georgia | NO | |
| Hawaii | YES | https://hawaiicovid19.com/smart-health-card/ |
| Idaho | I don’t believe so | |
| Illinois | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| Indiana | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| Iowa | NO | |
| Kansas | NO | |
| Kentucky | NO | |
| Louisiana | YES | https://lawallet.com/covid-19/ or https://myirmobile.com/register/ |
| Maine | NO | |
| Maryland | YES (varies by county) | https://myirmobile.com/register/ or https://vaccinecheck.us/partners/ |
| Massachusetts | NO | |
| Michigan | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| Minnesota | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| Mississippi | YES | https://myirmobile.com/register/ |
| Missouri | NO | |
| Montana | NO | |
| Nebraska | NO | |
| Nevada | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| New Hampshire | NO | |
| New Jersey | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| New Mexico | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| New York | YES | https://epass.ny.gov/home |
| North Carolina | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| North Dakota | YES | https://myirmobile.com/register/ |
| Ohio | NO | |
| Oklahoma | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| Oregon | NO | |
| Pennsylvania | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| Rhode Island | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| South Carolina | NO | |
| South Dakota | NO | |
| Tennessee | NO | |
| Texas | NO | |
| Utah | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| Vermont | NO | |
| Virginia | YES (verified) | https://vaccinate.virginia.gov/ |
| Washington | YES | https://myirmobile.com/register/ |
| Washington, D.C. | YES | https://myirmobile.com/register/ |
| West Virginia | YES | https://myirmobile.com/register/ |
| Wisconsin | NO but can access digital vaccine record | |
| Wyoming | NO | |
After compiling this list I cross-referenced it with PC Magazine’s article, “Does my State Have a COVID-19 Vaccine App.” To my knowledge though the PC Magazine article contains more information regarding legislation, I believe my article is more up-to-date at this time.
Get a QR Code from the Pharmacy that Vaccinated You
Carbon Health, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and more popular retail pharmacies offer QR code versions of your vaccine record if you were vaccinated with them (source). Consult with the pharmacy that provided you your COVID-19 vaccine(s) to see if they have this option.
Create Your Own QR Code
Supposedly a service called VaxYes will allow you to create a free digital vaccine passport complete with QR code. Furthermore, Samsung PayCommon supposedly now has a feature integrated with CommonHealth that will generate a QR code for your vaccine card. If you try these methods out and want to share feedback on how it works, please let me know so I can post it here!
You can also generate a QR code for free of any link or file here, but keep in mind that this is not as secure as the other options mentioned thus far. It may or may not be viewable to the public and your vaccine card likely contains sensitive information you want to keep from being made public. Use this option at your own risk, but know that I highly encourage you to use the next option mentioned.
If All Else Fails…
If none of these options work for you but you’d still like to have a digital copy of your vaccine card, you can always scan it or snap a photo of it and save it on your phone. It might not be the most high-tech solution ever, but it gets the job done. Just be aware that with the falsification of COVID-19 vaccine records on the rise, it is difficult to verify a photo or even a scan of your vaccine card. In a lot of cases, your physical vaccine card may be preferred.
