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 be available to everybody aged 6 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 your next dose

Updated COVID-19 vaccines authorized by Health Canada will be available starting in early October. Initial doses will be prioritized for high-risk and priority populations. Learn if you are part of these high-risk and priority groups.

Learn where to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

The updated COVID-19 vaccine will be available to the general population on October 28, 2024.

In alignment with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), the Ministry of Health is recommending vaccination with an updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall, to better protect against the currently circulating variants. Individuals completing a primary series (initial series of vaccinations designed to give a primary antibody response) should consult with a health care provider or contact the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre to determine when to receive their next dose.

Previously vaccinated individuals aged 6 months and older who have completed their primary series can receive a dose if it has been at least 6 months since their last dose.

Contact the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at either:

• 1-833-943-3900
• 1-866-797-0007 (TTY for people who are deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired)

Learn when to get your next dose if you’ve had COVID-19.

It is safe and convenient to receive both the COVID-19 and annual flu shots at the same time, reducing the need for multiple visits to a doctor, nurse practitioner or local pharmacy. Learn more about the flu and where to get your free flu vaccine.

High-risk and priority populations

High-risk:

• adults 65 years of age or older
• individuals 6 months of age and older who are/have:
  • residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings
  • pregnant
  • in or from First Nations, Métis or Inuit communities
  • members of racialized and other equity-deserving communities
  • those who have underlying medical conditions that places them at higher risk of severe COVID-19, including children with complex health needs

Priority populations:

• children 6 months to 4 years of age
• staff and care providers of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings
• health care workers
• first responders
• individuals with significant exposure to birds and mammals (such as poultry, livestock, slaughterhouse and processing plant workers, wildlife officers/researchers, and veterinarians)

If you haven’t had previous vaccinations

Infants and children aged 6 months to 4 years with no previous COVID-19 vaccinations and who are not immunocompromised may use a 2-dose series of a COVID vaccine. Vaccine site administrators will advise the appropriate interval between doses.

People aged 5 years and older with no previous COVID-19 vaccinations and who are not immunocompromised only require 1 dose of a COVID vaccine.

Individuals 6 months of age and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised with no previous vaccinations are recommended to receive 1 additional dose of a COVID vaccine compared to what is stated above.

If you are immunocompromised

The decision of when to receive COVID-19 vaccine doses may be appropriate at different times based on your unique health status and personal situation. You are encouraged to speak with a 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.

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 at recommended intervals helps further improve the immune response.

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 you have no previous COVID-19 vaccinations or are in the process of completing a vaccination series:
  • 2 months (56 days) if you are not immunocompromised and have no history of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) or adults (MIS-A)
  • 1 to 2 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 you have previously been vaccinated:
  • recommended 6 months (168 days)

The best time for your next vaccine can depend on whether your next dose is part of your primary series and on your health status. Discuss the best timing for your vaccine with a health care provider.

If you were vaccinated outside of Ontario

If you need to record a COVID-19 vaccine received outside of Ontario or Canada, you should contact your local public health unit.

Out-of-province doses should be recorded if:

• a child is younger than 5 years old and has received 1 or more doses of COVID-19 vaccine outside of Ontario to ensure they have completed the appropriate number of doses for optimal protection
• you are aged 5 years and older and have received 1 or more doses outside of Ontario within the last 6 months, to ensure future doses (if needed) can be given at the appropriate interval

Other doses can be recorded at the discretion of the 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 (PVCC) 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

The PVCC can be reached by phone at 1-833-943-3900 (TTY for people who are deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired the TTY number is 1-866-797-0007).

The information is available in more than 300 languages, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Vaccine types

Only vaccines that Health Canada has approved for use will be administered in Ontario. All COVID-19 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

COVID-19 vaccines have varying doses based on an individual’s age and immune status for those that have not previously received COVID-19 vaccines. You will be offered an age-appropriate and Health Canada approved vaccine based on your eligibility at the time of vaccination.

Learn more about protection from respiratory illnesses.

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.

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 6 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.

Booking a vaccine appointment

Eligible people aged 6 months and older can book an appointment through:

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

Public health units may also offer additional options for vaccination for children aged 6 months to 4 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.

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:

• visit Health811 online or call 811 (TTY: 1-866-797-0007 toll free) for health advice and information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• 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 shn.ca/vaxfacts
• talk to your child’s family doctor, pediatrician or nurse practitioner, for those that are parents or guardians

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, available in more than 300 languages, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time (TTY for people who are deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired:1-866-797-0007).