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COVID-19 Vaccines

COVID-19 Vaccines

Ontario’s COVID-19 Vaccine Program

Getting immunized with COVID-19 vaccine protects our entire community. Speak to your health care provider and get your COVID-19 vaccine every year. 

Why you should get vaccinated

  • COVID-19 vaccines are safe and work well to protect you from harmful outcomes of COVID-19.
  • You can get the vaccine at the same time as other vaccines. For example, the yearly flu vaccine or other routine vaccines.

Who should get vaccinated

  • You can get the COVID-19 vaccine if you are 6 months of age and older and live, work or go to school in Ontario. The COVID-19 vaccine will be available every year in the fall.
  • If you have a higher chance of getting COVID-19 disease (external link), you should also get a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the spring. The vaccine will help protect you from serious illness and death. Talk to your health care provider to see if you should get an extra dose in the spring based on your health history.

 If you already had a COVID-19 infection 

  • Even if you’ve already had a COVID-19 infection, you should still get the vaccine. It can protect you from getting very sick if you get the infection again. 
  • A past infection will give you some protection, but getting the vaccine at the recommended times will help your body build stronger and longer-lasting protection. 
  • Visit the Ministry’s COVID-19 Vaccine webpage (external link) for more information about when is the best time to get your vaccine.

Types of vaccines

  • All COVID-19 vaccines approved in Canada are safe and work well to protect you from the disease.
  • You will get a Health Canada approved vaccine based on your age, medical, and immunization history, as well as the vaccine available. 

What to do next

If you have questions about the vaccine, speak to your health care provider about which option is best for you.

Where to receive your COVID-19 vaccine

Please check with your local pharmacy regarding the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and to see what products are available. Contact the pharmacy directly to book an appointment.

COVID-19 vaccine administration for children 6 months to 4 years old may vary across pharmacies. Contact your local pharmacy directly to see if they offer COVID-19 vaccines for this age group.

To find a pharmacy near you, use the pharmacy locator tool (external link).

COVID-19 vaccines are available at some primary care providers and participating pharmacies. Contact your family doctor or a primary care office directly to see if they are offering the vaccine to adults, children and infants. Visit the Ministry’s COVID-19 Vaccine webpage for more information (external link).

Looking for a family doctor? Visit our Halton Physicians Accepting New Patients webpage.

The fall COVID-19 vaccination service is available for eligible homebound residents.

Residents are encouraged to get their COVID-19 vaccines wherever they receive their influenza vaccine, such as at participating pharmacies or their primary care provider.

There may be a pharmacy in your area that is offering both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines to homebound residents. Please refer to the COVID-19 pharmacy vaccine locator for more information (external link).

The COVID-19 vaccination service for homebound residents is available to Halton residents who are unable to leave their homes. To be eligible for this service, the person must be unable to physically leave their home or leaving home requires a considerable effort. For example, the person normally does not leave their home on their own (with or without support) to access medical, public, or social services.

Eligible residents can submit a request for this service by completing the COVID-19 Vaccination Service for Homebound Residents – service form.

This form can be completed by a:

  • eligible Halton resident or substitute decision maker
  • physician or health care provider
  • congregate living administrator

This is not a rapid referral program.

Halton Region Public Health will contact applicants within two to four weeks of receiving an application.

Lack of access to transportation does not define an individual as homebound. There are a range of safe and reliable transportation options, including special transit services for older adults and people with disabilities.

For more information on transportation options available, please visit Transportation Options for Older Adults.

Get more information about COVID-19 vaccines

It’s okay to have questions about COVID-19 vaccines. Please make sure you are getting information and answers to your questions from your health care provider or other reliable and verified, scientific sources.

Talk to a professional:

Talk to a professional:

Experts like the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) and National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) strongly recommend those that are pregnant or breastfeeding to get a complete COVID-19 vaccine series. Talk to your health care provider if you have any questions about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. More information is also available from these trusted resources:

Answers to frequently asked questions

  • Although COVID-19 symptoms in children can be mild, some develop more severe symptoms or require hospitalization, even without underlying health conditions.
  • Children can continue to have symptoms long after a COVID-19 infection has cleared.
  • Some children can develop other complications from COVID-19 beyond the infection itself, including a rare but serious condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C).
  • COVID-19 infection can impact daily routines and can have an impact on children’s mental, social and emotional health.
  • Children who have underlying medical conditions are strongly recommended to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.

  • All COVID-19 vaccines authorized in Canada are proven to be safe, effective and of high quality.
  • The vaccines were tested in clinical trials for children. The clinical trials found the vaccine was safe for children, just as we know it is safe in adults and adolescents. The risk of serious side effects from the vaccines is very low. Children who have underlying medical conditions are strongly recommended to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.
  • There are rare cases when the vaccine should not be given to children including children who:

Some children experience mild side effects such as red arm, tiredness, chills and muscle/joint pain. These side effects go away after a few days, and are similar to other routine childhood vaccinations. In children six months to two years of age, the most common side effects reported were irritability/crying, pain, sleepiness and loss of appetite. Serious side effects such as anaphylaxis or severe allergy are rare. Long term side effects are not expected from COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. mRNA vaccines have been studied in humans since 2013 with no known long-term effects.

Get your proof of vaccination, receipt and records

If you live in Halton and have received COVID-19 vaccine doses outside of Ontario or Canada, you can report this information to Halton Region Public Health.

For more information on who should report out-of-province doses please visit the Ministry’s COVID-19 Vaccine webpage (external link).

Please bring your COVID-19 vaccination records with you to get your COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccination records must be in English, or you must have a certified translation into English. Vaccine receipts must include your name, date of vaccination, type of vaccine and dose. For information on how to include your out-of-province vaccinations in your Ontario vaccination certificate, please see Report an out-of-province COVID-19 vaccination below.

View a list of COVID-19 vaccines approved by Health Canada (external link)

If you live in Halton and received a COVID-19 vaccine outside of Ontario or Canada, report this information to Halton Region Public Health. This information must be verified before you can access your vaccine certificate with a QR code. The information you submit will be assessed within three weeks and, if needed, you will receive further instructions by email.

How to get your next dose:

Visit a pharmacy, primary health care provider or other vaccination clinic – Before attending a pharmacy or primary care provider to get your COVID-19 vaccine, you must first report any out-of-province vaccination records for your primary series using the button below. After you receive confirmation that your records have been verified, you can get your COVID-19 vaccine at any participating pharmacy, primary care office or other vaccination clinic. Find locations offering the COVID-19 vaccine.

Report your out-of-province COVID-19 vaccination records.

Businesses and organizations may voluntarily choose to check for proof of vaccination. Individuals may also be required to show proof of vaccination when travelling within and outside of Canada. For more information, visit Ontario.ca/proofofvaccination (external link).

Use the Provincial tool to find out how to get your enhanced vaccine certification (external link). You can save an electronic copy to your mobile phone or print a copy with your QR code.

If you received a COVID-19 vaccine outside of Ontario and need an enhanced vaccine certificate, you must first have your proof of vaccination verified by Halton Region Public Health. Learn about what type of vaccination records are accepted and report your out-of-province COVID-19 vaccination records to be verified.

If you don't have a health card (this does not include lost or stolen health cards), email accesshalton@halton.ca or call 311 to receive a COVID ID (identification will be verified). A COVID ID is a unique number assigned to you by your public health unit (in place of an Ontario health card number) that can be used to obtain a copy of your vaccine certificate. You can then call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 and you will be emailed a secure link to access your vaccine certificate.

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