COVID‑19 vaccines

Overview

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.

Annual COVID-19 vaccines are approved and free of charge for everybody aged 6 months and older in Ontario regardless of:

• citizenship
• immigration status
• if you do not have an Ontario health card

To keep you and your loved ones protected, it is recommended you get the updated COVID-19 vaccine at the start of the annual COVID-19 vaccine program each fall.

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).

Annual COVID-19 vaccine program

Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine program has transitioned to an annual program in alignment with expert recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).

Like Ontario’s flu program, everyone aged 6 months and older in Ontario will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination each fall.

The Ministry of Health is recommending that populations at high-risk of COVID-19 infection receive an additional dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in spring.

If you are not high-risk, you will become eligible to receive your next recommended dose in the fall.

When you should get your next dose

Everybody aged 6 months and older is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination(s) in the fall.

Respiratory illness season runs from late fall to early spring. It is recommended that everyone aged 6 months and older receive an updated dose of COVID-19 vaccine starting in the fall when it becomes available.

Populations at high-risk of infection are recommended to receive an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available in the spring.

Populations at high-risk of infection

If you are at high-risk of infection from COVID-19, it is recommended that you receive an annual dose starting in the fall and an additional dose in the spring. High-risk groups include:

• adults 65 years of age and older
  • National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends that those 80 years and older should receive an additional dose of vaccine while those 65 to 79 years of age may receive an additional dose of vaccine.
• residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings for seniors
• individuals 6 months of age and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised (due to an underlying condition or treatment).
• individuals 55 years and older who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Metis and their non-Indigenous household members who are 55 years and older

People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised

People with the following conditions are considered to be moderately to severely immunocompromised:

• solid tumour or hematologic malignancies or treatments for these conditions
• solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy
• hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy)
• immunocompromised due to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy targeting lymphocytes
• moderate to severe primary immunodeficiency with associated humoral and/or cell-mediated immunodeficiency or immune dysregulation
• HIV with AIDS-defining illness or TB diagnosis in last 12 months before starting vaccine series, or severe immune compromise with CD4 ‹ 200 cells/µL or CD4<15%, or without HIV viral suppression
• recent treatment with the following categories of immunosuppressive therapies:
  • anti-B cell therapies (monoclonal antibodies targeting CD19, CD20 and CD22)
  • high-dose systemic corticosteroids
  • alkylating agents
  • antimetabolites
  • tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors
  • other biologic agents that are significantly immunosuppressive
• chronic kidney disease on dialysis

Contact your health care provider if you have received any of the following since your most recent COVID-19 vaccination(s):

• a hematopoietic stem cell transplant
• hematopoietic cell transplant (autologous or allogeneic)
• a (CAR)-T-cell therapy

You may be recommended to be re-vaccinated due to loss of immunity following transplant or therapy.

COVID-19 vaccination timing

Learn more about completing your initial COVID-19 vaccine series and when you should get your COVID-19 vaccination based on if you:

• have completed your initial series of COVID-19 vaccinations
• have not yet completed your initial series
• are immunocompromised
• have tested positive for COVID-19
• missed your annual fall dose

Completing your initial series of COVID-19 vaccinations

What is needed for your initial series of vaccines designed to give a primary antibody response depends on your age and previous COVID-19 vaccinations. It is typically:

• 1 dose for those aged 5 years and over
• 2 doses for those aged 6 months to 4 years

As indicated by NACI, if you are considered to be moderately to severely immunocompromised, it is recommended that you receive additional dose(s) when completing your initial series.

A health care provider can advise on the appropriate interval between doses.

If you are unsure if you have completed your initial series, you should discuss your COVID-19 vaccination history with a health care provider or pharmacist, or contact the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900.

If you are not at high-risk of infection, you are eligible to receive the recommended dose(s) to start or complete your initial series in the fall.

If you are at high-risk of infection you are eligible to receive the recommended dose(s) to start or complete your initial series in the fall or the spring.

If you’ve completed your initial series of COVID-19 vaccinations

If you already completed your initial series, it is recommended you receive an updated dose starting in the fall when the vaccine becomes available in Ontario , if it has been 6 months (168 days) since your last dose.

If you are at high-risk of infection , an additional dose is also recommended in the spring, if it has been 6 months (168 days) since your last dose. A minimum interval of 3 months from the last dose may be used at the discretion of the health care provider.

If you’ve had a COVID-19 infection

If you are at increased risk of COVID-19 and have symptoms, you may be eligible for COVID-19 testing (including PCR and rapid antigen tests).

The guidelines below are for people who have recently tested positive for COVID-19 infection. All others should receive their COVID-19 vaccine according to provincial recommendations. If you have completed your initial series, you should wait 6 months (168 days) following a positive test.

• If you are completing your initial series and you are:
  • not immunocompromised, you should wait 2 months (56 days) following a positive test
  • immunocompromised, you should wait 1–2 months (28-56 days) following a positive test
• If you have not received any doses and you are:
  • not immunocompromised, you should wait 2 months (56 days) following a positive test
  • immunocompromised, you should wait 1–2 months (28–56 days) following a positive test if you are immunocompromised

People with complex care needs should speak with a health care provider for more information on when to get their next dose following a COVID-19 infection.

If you missed your recommended fall dose(s)

It is recommended that you receive your annual COVID-19 vaccination starting in the fall when the vaccine becomes available. You can get your annual COVID-19 vaccination until March 31.

If you are at high-risk of infection and have not completed your initial series of vaccines, you may receive your remaining dose(s) in the spring.

If you have completed your initial series but did not receive your annual dose in the fall, you should receive one dose in the spring. A second spring dose is not required to make up for the missed dose.

If you are not at high-risk of infection, you are not eligible to receive a dose in the spring regardless of previous COVID-19 vaccinations. It is recommended that you be vaccinated during the next annual COVID-19 vaccine program (in the fall) to ensure optimal protection against circulating strains.

Where you can get vaccinated

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

COVID-19 vaccine administration for children 6 months to 4 years old may vary across pharmacies. Contact the pharmacy to confirm vaccine appointment availability if applicable. 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 contact your local public health unit.

Indigenous-led clinics

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

When you should consult a doctor before getting the vaccine

Contact a 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 do not have a 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 at the time of your appointment, such as:

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

If you were vaccinated outside of Ontario

If you received a COVID-19 vaccine outside of Ontario or Canada, you should contact your local public health unit to register your out of province doses if:

• a child is aged 6 months to 4 years 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

You must provide proof of immunization to your public health unit to register the dose(s). The public health unit may ask for additional proof of vaccination, such as clinic or pharmacy information.

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 to book your next vaccine appointment.

Please also bring your out of province vaccination receipts to your next vaccination appointment for validation.

The Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre can be reached by phone at 1-833-943-3900 (TTY number for people who are deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired 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) and 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, for those that have not previously received COVID-19 vaccines, immune status. 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 immunizations can still receive a COVID‑19 vaccine.

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

Children aged 6 months and older can receive their annual COVID-19 vaccine(s) at the same time as, or at any time before or after, other routine immunizations. Parents and caregivers should discuss vaccination with a health care provider to determine the best timing for COVID-19 vaccination.

Learn more about vaccines for children at school.

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 a doctor, pediatrician 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, 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.

Please note that the Verify Ontario App is no longer available and third-party applications may not be able to properly read vaccine certificate QR codes.

The use of the COVID-19 vaccine certificates with QR codes are no longer required in Ontario. However, businesses and organizations may voluntarily continue to request vaccine certificates. If you have any questions about policies put in place by private businesses or organizations, please reach out to them directly.