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Immunization

COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility

The goal of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine program is to ensure as many Ontarians as possible are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines, which protect against severe COVID-19 disease, including hospitalization and death.

The benefits of being immunized against COVID-19 far outweigh the risk of any side effects from the vaccine.

At this time, current COVID-19 vaccine recommendations are based on age and health status. Please see below for current recommendations.

Infants/Children 6 months to 4 years

  • Those who are at high risk of severe disease due to COVID-19 should be vaccinated.
    • An additional dose is recommended for those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised
  • Those who are not known to be at high risk of severe illness due to COVID-19 may be vaccinated
  • Those who have not completed a COVID-19 vaccine series should complete the series using the recommended number of doses (based on vaccine product and immune status) of an XBB mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Individuals 5 years and older

  • Those who are unvaccinated should be immunized with an XBB COVID-19 vaccine.
    • One dose of an XBB vaccine is recommended (additional dose is recommended for those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised).
    • Unvaccinated individuals 12 years and up may receive either mRNA or protein subunit COVID-19 vaccine. mRNA remains preferred as the more effective COVID-19 vaccine.
Unless specifically recommended by a health care provider, it is recommended that you wait for the fall to receive your next dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, even if you did not get a COVID-19 vaccine this spring. This will ensure maximum protection when peak circulation of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses are expected.

Individuals who received a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada (HC) (while in another country) may need additional doses to stay up-to-date:

If an individual 6 months of age and older has been vaccinated with one or more non-Health Canada approved vaccine(s), they are recommended to receive one or more doses of an XBB COVID-19 vaccine as per the timing outlined in the above sections (Previously unvaccinated/previously vaccinated). The number of doses is dependent on the number of doses previously received and immune status.

 

The Ontario Ministry of Health, along with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), continues to recommend that COVID-19 vaccines should be offered to individuals with previous COVID-19 infection without contraindications to the vaccine.

A previous infection is defined as:

  • confirmed by a molecular (e.g., PCR) or rapid antigen test, or;
  • symptomatic AND a household contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case.

Available vaccines

All residents will receive an age-appropriate Health Canada approved vaccine. All COVID-19 vaccines authorized in Canada are proven safe and effective.

The type of COVID-19 vaccine you will receive depends on current inventory and your age.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends mRNA vaccines as the preferred vaccine type for all age groups.

The type of mRNA vaccine you will receive depends on the inventory available on the day of your immunization along with your age.

Novavax  is a protein-based vaccine and may be given to those 12 years and older (without contraindications to the vaccine) who are not willing or able to receive mRNA vaccines.

An XBB formulation of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine is available.

For more information call Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Resources

COVID-19 Communications Resources: Vaccine Facts - Ministry of Health of Ontario

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources - Toronto Public Health
  • Video series - FAQ’s about COVID-19 vaccines for kids (Dr Leah Bartlett and Dr Asif Kazmi)

Page last updated July 8, 2024

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