COVID‑19 vaccines

Who can get vaccinated

Getting vaccinated and staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations is the best way to remain protected against the most severe outcomes of COVID-19 infection including hospitalization and death.

Vaccination may not always prevent symptomatic infection but it will help reduce severity if a person does become infected and decreases the risk of developing post COVID-19 condition (commonly known as long COVID).

COVID-19 vaccines are available to everybody aged six months and older in Ontario at no cost, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, even if you do not have an Ontario health card. 

If you do not have an Ontario health card, you may use another form of identification (photo identification is required if you are aged 18 or older) to verify your name and date of birth, such as:

• a driver’s licence or Ontario photo card
• a passport
• a piece of registered mail, pay stub, student card, library card
• government issued identification from other jurisdictions (including foreign and expired government documents)

When you should get a booster dose

Effective July 7, 2023, individuals aged five years and older should consider delaying their COVID-19 booster dose until Fall 2023. Receiving a booster dose in the fall, as respiratory season commences, will maximize protection against COVID-19 outcomes when peak circulation of the virus is expected along with other respiratory viruses.

The decision to receive a booster dose prior to Fall 2023 may be appropriate for certain individuals based on their unique health status and personal situation. Individuals are encouraged to speak with a health care provider to determine if this makes sense for you.

Recommendations for fall booster doses will be available closer to Fall 2023.

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Vaccine eligibility

Eligibility for vaccines is based on age and risk.

Ages six months to four years

Infants and children aged six months to four years are eligible for a primary series only. A booster dose is not approved for this age group.

Ages five and older

Individuals aged five years and older can receive their primary series, followed by booster doses. Eligibility and booking for booster doses are based on the interval since your last dose or following a confirmed COVID-19 infection.

Effective July 7, 2023, individuals aged five years and older should consider delaying their COVID-19 booster dose until Fall 2023. Receiving a booster dose in the Fall, as respiratory season commences, will maximize protection against COVID-19 outcomes when peak circulation of the virus is expected along with other respiratory viruses.

The decision to receive a booster dose prior to Fall 2023 may be appropriate for certain individuals based on their unique health status and personal situation. Individuals are encouraged to speak with a health care provider.

Recommendations for Fall booster doses will be available closer to Fall 2023.

Individuals who are immunocompromised

Individuals aged six months and older who are immunocompromised should get three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as their primary series.

The decision of when to receive a booster dose may be appropriate at different times for individuals based on their unique health status and personal situation. Individuals are encouraged to speak with their health care provider.

Contact your health care provider if you have received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, hematopoietic cell transplant (autologous or allogeneic) or have had (CAR)-T-cell therapy after your COVID-19 vaccination(s). You may be recommended to be re-vaccinated due to loss of immunity following transplant or therapy.

When you should consult your doctor before getting the vaccine

Contact your doctor or health care provider if you have questions about getting the vaccine or if the person getting vaccinated:

• is immunocompromised due to disease or treatment (to discuss optimal timing for vaccination)
• has had a severe allergic reaction after a COVID-19 vaccination or has an allergy to a component of the COVID-19 vaccine

Read the Canadian Immunization Guide for more information.

Vaccine doses

COVID-19 vaccination includes a primary series and when eligible, booster doses.

Primary series

A primary series is the initial number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine that a person needs to develop a strong initial immune response. Most people need two doses of the vaccine to complete their primary series. If you are immunocompromised, you are recommended to receive an additional dose to complete the primary series.

Each dose in a primary series should be given at an interval of eight weeks between doses.

Booster doses

Booster doses are doses of a COVID-19 vaccine received after the primary series. Protection after a primary series may decrease over time, especially against new variants. Booster doses help to restore protection that may have decreased since your last dose and help keep you protected from severe outcomes from the virus.

Effective July 7, 2023, individuals aged five years and older should consider delaying their COVID-19 booster dose until Fall 2023. Receiving a booster dose in the fall, as respiratory season commences, will maximize protection against COVID-19 outcomes when peak circulation of the virus is expected along with other respiratory viruses.

The decision to receive a booster dose prior to Fall 2023 may be appropriate for certain individuals based on their unique health status and personal situation. Individuals are encouraged to speak with a health care provider to determine if this makes sense for you.

Recommendations for fall booster doses will be available closer to Fall 2023.

The recommended intervals between doses above are in accordance with National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommendations. They are based on evidence that suggests longer intervals between doses result in a stronger immune response and higher vaccine effectiveness that is expected to last longer. These intervals may also be associated with a lower risk of myocarditis and/or pericarditis and may also result in a better response after the next dose.

If you’ve had COVID-19

If you’ve already had COVID-19, you should still be vaccinated for protection from reinfection or severe outcomes. While infection alone provides some protection, vaccination combined with infection helps further improve the immune response.

Even if you’ve recovered from COVID-19, you are not immune and can still get the virus, be contagious while not showing any symptoms, and spread it to others in your community.

If you have had COVID-19, you should wait the following recommended intervals after a confirmed COVID-19 infection (either received a positive test or were symptomatic after having close contact with a test positive case) before receiving your next dose:

• If completing your primary series:
  • two months (56 days) if you are not immunocompromised and have no history of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) or adults (MIS-A)
  • one to two months (28 – 56 days) if you are immunocompromised and have no history of MIS-C or MIS-A
  • if you have a history of MIS-C or MIS-A, until clinical recovery has been achieved or up to 90 days since the onset, whichever is longer, regardless of immunocompromised status
• If getting a booster dose:
  • recommended six months (168 days)

Discuss the best timing for you with a health care provider. It can depend on whether your next dose is part of your primary series or a booster dose and on your health status.

If you were vaccinated out of Ontario

If you received a COVID-19 vaccine outside of Ontario or Canada, you should register your vaccination(s) by contacting your local public health unit.

You must provide proof, such as an immunization record, to your public health unit to be registered. The public health unit may ask for additional proof of vaccination, such as clinic or pharmacy information or travel documents such as a boarding pass.

If you applied to have your out of province vaccination(s) registered with your public health unit and are waiting to have it registered, you can call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 to book your next vaccine appointment if you fit all of these criteria:

• you have an Ontario health card or COVID ID (a unique number assigned to you by your public health unit in place of an Ontario health card number)
• your public health unit uses the provincial booking system
• you can bring your out of province vaccination receipts to your vaccination appointment for validation

You had a vaccine not authorized by Health Canada

If you received a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada, please contact your public health unit to find out if you need additional doses to complete your primary series.

If you received a non-Health Canada authorized vaccine, you only need to provide proof of vaccination to your public health unit. No other action is needed.

Why you should register your vaccination

If you get any COVID-19 vaccines outside of Ontario, you should register them so you can:

• book additional doses in Ontario
• be contacted if there is any clinical guidance about the vaccine you got
• get an Ontario vaccination certificate with QR code

Vaccine types

Only vaccines that Health Canada has approved and determined to be safe and effective will be administered in Ontario.

All vaccines:

• are safe
• can be safely mixed for individuals 6 months and older
• provide strong protection against severe illness from COVID-19 and its variants

Individuals are recommended to receive an mRNA vaccine for their primary series and booster doses due to the strong protection offered and well-established safety and effectiveness data.

If you have an allergy or contraindication to mRNA vaccines or if you do not wish to receive an mRNA vaccine, Novavax is available upon request through your local public health unit, health care provider or participating pharmacy. Novavax is authorized as a primary series for individuals aged 12 years and older and as a booster dose for individuals aged 18 years and older.

COVID-19 vaccines have varying doses based on product or age of indication. You will be offered an age-appropriate and Health Canada approved booster dose based on your eligibility at the time of vaccination.

Learn more about the vaccines from Health Canada.

Vaccines for children and youth

Vaccines are safe, effective, and are the best way to remain protected against COVID-19 and its variants. They are an important tool to help prevent serious illness and support the overall health and wellbeing of our children and communities.

Health Canada has approved COVID‑19 vaccines for use in children aged six months and older and determined that these vaccines:

• are safe, effective and manufactured with rigorous quality control and assurance
• show a strong immune response and prepare the immune system to fight against COVID‑19 and its variants
• significantly decrease the risk of severe outcomes from COVID‑19 infection
• significantly decrease the risk of longer-term illness from multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) or adults (MIS-A), a rare but serious condition that can occur in the weeks following COVID‑19 infection

It will not interfere with getting other vaccines

Children and youth who are not up to date on other vaccines can still receive a COVID‑19 vaccine.

If your child is behind on immunizations, we encourage you to contact their health care provider to get up to date.

Children aged six months and older can receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as, or at any time before or after other routine vaccines. Parents and caregivers should discuss vaccination with their health care provider to determine the best timing for COVID-19 vaccination.

Learn more about vaccines for children at school.

Where to get vaccinated

Eligible individuals aged six months and older can book an appointment through:

• the COVID‑19 vaccination portal
• the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at  1-833-943-3900 (TTY for people who are deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired: 1-866-797-0007), available in more than 300 languages, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time
• public health units using their own booking system
• participating primary care providers
• participating pharmacies
• Indigenous-led vaccination clinics

Public health units may also offer additional options for vaccination for children aged six months to four years old, such as walk-in clinics, which will not be on the COVID‑19 vaccination portal. For information on local options, please visit your local public health unit website.

For all vaccine doses, eligibility is defined by age. Individuals must be that age or older on the day of their vaccination.

Indigenous-led clinics

If you identify as First Nations, Inuit or Métis, you can find information about vaccination or book an appointment to get your COVID‑19 vaccine through an Indigenous-led vaccination clinic.

Get general vaccine information

It’s okay to still have questions about the vaccine. If you do, you can:

• contact the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre to speak to an agent at 1-833-943-3900 (TTY for people who are deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired: 1-866-797-0007), available in more than 300 languages, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time
• contact your local public health unit
• book a phone appointment with the VaxFacts Clinic to speak with a trusted physician from the Scarborough Health Network at www.shn.ca/vaxfacts or 416-438-2911 ext. 5738 (available to all Ontarians in over 200 languages)

Parents and guardians

• learn more from SickKids about COVID‑19 vaccines for children and youth
• talk to your child’s family doctor, paediatrician or nurse practitioner

Help with the COVID‑19 vaccination portal or obtaining proof of vaccination

For help with booking an appointment using the COVID‑19 vaccination portal or obtaining proof of vaccination, call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 (TTY for people who are deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired: 1-866-797-0007), available in more than 300 languages, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time.