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Vaccine Information for Physicians

Breadcrumbs
 
If you are a physician in Halton Region, access information about ordering, storing, and administering provincially funded vaccines here.

Ordering Vaccines

Use the vaccine order form to request routine, influenza, high-risk and COVID-19 vaccines and/or Tuberculin Purified Protein Derivative. Four weeks of recorded temperatures up until order submission date must be submitted with all orders.

Frequently asked questions on ordering vaccines

Temperature logs are submitted electronically through the online order form. Public Health will only accept scanned PDFs or photos (jpg format) of temperature logs (PDF file). Please note that the submission must be for one full month leading up to the order date

Vaccine orders submitted on the Wednesday prior to a scheduled delivery date will be processed and delivered for the next scheduled bi-weekly delivery date.

Please note: If you have missed the delivery and will need the vaccines more urgently (e.g. high risk vaccines, post exposure prophylaxis), please call 311 or email accesshalton@halton.ca.

Use the High-Risk Vaccine Order Form (PDF file), if vaccines will be given as part of the Publicly Funded High Risk Vaccine Program (external PDF). This includes orders for Imvamune and vaccines that are recommended for case and contact management.

Use the School-Based Vaccine Order and Reporting Form (PDF file) to order vaccines that are typically given to grade 7 students through in-school immunization clinics.

For direction on how to order RSV immunizing agents, refer to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines require that healthcare providers storing publicly funded vaccines meet specific requirements. If the bi-weekly vaccine distribution schedule will cause issues related to appropriate storage and inventory practices, please call 311 or email accesshalton@halton.ca to discuss options.

The Tuberculin Purified Protein Derivative is a tuberculosis skin testing solution used to aid in the diagnosis of TB infection in persons at increased risk of developing active TB disease. The Tuberculin Purified Protein Derivative can be ordered under "routine vaccines" on the vaccine order form.


Ordering School-based Vaccines

HPV, Hepatitis B and Men-C-ACYW-135 vaccines are the three school-based vaccines. School-based vaccines are typically given by Public Health to grade 7 students through in-school immunization clinics. While most students receive these vaccines at in-school clinics, some families prefer to have these vaccines administered by their primary care provider.

Orders for school-based vaccines can now be placed by faxing a completed School-Based Vaccine Order and Reporting Form (PDF file) to 905-465-3403.

Previously, clinics could only order single doses of school-based vaccines to administer to an eligible youth in their practice. Orders placed through the special orders process were patient-specific, which meant that healthcare providers needed to know who the vaccines would be administered to when placing their order. Public Health staff would then review the order, review the patient’s immunization records reported to Public Health, and confirm eligibility prior to filling the order.

To reduce the administrative work associated with ordering school-based vaccines, and to allow healthcare providers to have a small supply of school-based vaccines available at their office to administer to eligible patients, clinics can now order up to 5 doses of each school-based vaccine (or up to 20 doses for larger practices with multiple physicians, or single physician practices that regularly administer school-based vaccines).

When ordering the next batch of school-based vaccines, healthcare providers will be able to report back to Public Health who received the school-based vaccines associated with their previous order.

Single physician practices can order up to 5 doses of each vaccine type. Larger practices with multiple physicians, or single physician practices that regularly administer school-based vaccines can order up to 20 doses of each vaccine type.

Vaccines can be distributed as single doses. Ensure that you will have no than a one-month supply on hand when placing your order.

We want to make it as easy as we can for clinics to have the vaccines they need when they need it. Healthcare providers told us that ordering individual school-based vaccines for each student was taking too much time, especially following the increase in these vaccinations due to students missing school through the pandemic. The new school-based vaccine ordering process will allow clinics to place one order for at least 5 doses of each vaccine, and bundle reporting students who received school-based vaccines together, to help reduce administrative burden.

We hope that having these vaccines readily available on-site will make it easier for clinics to vaccinate students when they see them in clinic to avoid missing an opportunity to immunize.

Yes. School-based vaccines are intended to be given by Public Health through in-school immunization clinics. Vaccines given by Public Health are entered directly into Panorama, which is the system used to manage immunization records in Ontario. When school-based vaccines are given by healthcare providers in the community, these doses will not be recorded in the Panorama immunization record until they are reported to Public Health. While parents continue to be responsible for reporting their child’s immunizations to Public Health, parents are not always aware of this requirement.

Having healthcare providers report school-based vaccines that they have administered to Public Heath, helps Public Health staff know of any previous doses have already been administered. This helps prevent duplicate immunizations if the student presents at an in-school immunization clinic. You can keep track of the immunizations given and report information on doses administered with your next school-based vaccine order.

Healthcare providers are only asked to report school-based vaccines back to Public Health.

Yes. Parents/guardians are responsible for reporting their child’s immunizations, including any school-based vaccines that were not given by Public Health, at halton.ca/immunize.

Healthcare providers are responsible for adhering to the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule (external PDF). Vaccines ordered through Public Health, cannot be administered to individuals who are not eligible under the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule (external PDF).

Healthcare providers can advise patients to avoid delaying school-based immunizations as eligibility for Hepatitis B and HPV vaccines under the routine vaccine program is only publicly funded for students in grades 7-12. Eligibility for a single dose of Men C-ACYW-135 is ongoing for clients born on or after 1997.

If a client is no longer eligible under the routine vaccine program, healthcare providers should assess if the client would be eligible under criteria for the high-risk vaccine program. Vaccines that will be administered as part of the high-risk vaccine program must be ordered as a High-Risk vaccine order.

If an individual is no longer eligible for a publicly funded dose under either the routine or high-risk vaccine programs, individuals can purchase the vaccine with a prescription. Some private insurers may cover all or part of the cost of the vaccine.

No. Each practice or holding point code is responsible for ordering any school-based vaccines that are needed for their own practice.

Publicly funded vaccines must be ordered directly from Public Health. Offices are not permitted to share or distribute publicly funded vaccines to other healthcare providers.

You’ll get your school-based vaccines the same way you receive all your other vaccine orders from Halton Region Public Health. There will be no changes to the vaccine ordering deadline or the vaccine distribution schedule.

School-based vaccines will be distributed with all other vaccines ordered by the ordering deadline.

No. Clinics can no longer place patient-specific orders for school-based vaccines using the Online Vaccine Order Form. All school-based vaccines can only be ordered by faxing the School-Based Vaccine Order and Reporting Form (PDF file) to 905-465-3403.


Vaccine Distribution
January – April 2025 Vaccine Distribution Schedule

Order by Milton and Halton Hills
Tuesday delivery
between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Order by Georgetown
280 Guelph street, Unit 76
Tuesday pick-up
between 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Oakville
1151 Bronte road
Wednesday pick-up
between 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Order by Burlington
Tuesday delivery
between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Oakville
Wednesday delivery
between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Order by Oakville
1151 Bronte road
Tuesday pick-up
between 9 – 11:30 a.m.
Oakville
1151 Bronte road
Wednesday pick-up
between 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

The next vaccine distribution schedule will be released by mid-April 2025.


Vaccine Delivery

Each municipality will receive bi-weekly vaccine deliveries. Routine, special, COVID-19 and high risk vaccines must be ordered online on the Wednesday prior to scheduled delivery dates. Refer to Vaccine Distribution for bi-weekly delivery schedule.

Vaccine orders submitted on the Wednesday prior to a scheduled delivery date will be processed and delivered for the next scheduled bi-weekly delivery date.

Please note: If vaccines are needed urgently (e.g. high risk vaccines, post exposure prophylaxis), please call 311 or email accesshalton@halton.ca.

Vaccines will be delivered on your scheduled delivery date listed on the Halton Region Public Health vaccine delivery schedule. Vaccines will be delivered between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. by Critical Path Courier. We are unable to provide a specific time for each office as the courier plans their route based on the number of deliveries in the area and what the most efficient route is.

Please ensure there is a staff member to receive the vaccines between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. If no staff member is present to receive the delivery, vaccines will be returned to Halton Regional Centre (HRC). They will be delivered again on your next scheduled bi-weekly delivery date.

Vaccine orders that are unable to be delivered on the scheduled delivery date will be returned to Halton Regional Centre and will be sent on your next scheduled delivery date. If you need to cancel your scheduled vaccine delivery, please call 311 or email accesshalton@halton.ca for options.


Vaccine Courier

Using a courier to receive vaccines is a convenient option for many healthcare professionals that saves staff time and expenses while protecting the integrity of the vaccines and the cold chain process. Critical Path (the vaccine courier service) uses temperature controlled vans, which helps to ensure that cold chain is maintained during transportation. Many clinics prefer couriered vaccines due to staff time and the associated costs of pick up.

The cost to use the vaccine courier is approximately $35 per delivery. All facilities in Halton are charged the same rate.

Public Health will continue to pay for the flu auto shipments, which are made at the beginning of the flu season, while clinics will pay for the delivery of vaccines they order.

Facilities that would like to continue receiving their vaccines through Critical Path will need to complete an Account Activation Form (PDF file) and send to ar@criticalpath.ca. You will be asked to provide credit card information for billing. If there is information on the Account Activation Form that you would prefer to provide over the phone rather than email (e.g. credit card information), please write “call for information” in the form field. Critical Path will contact you to collect this information over the phone.

If you have questions about the Account Activation form or the account set up process, please contact Critical Path at ar@criticalpath.ca or 905-212- 8333.

Only facilities that have an account with a courier service will be able to select courier as an option from the Online Vaccine Ordering form.

If you have an existing arrangement with a courier service, you can continue to use it or you can transition to Halton Region’s courier service by establishing an account with Critical Path (PDF file).

Halton Region Public Health is strongly encouraging offices to use Critical Path for vaccine deliveries because vaccines are transported in temperature controlled vehicles. This helps to ensure that vaccines are safe and that proper cold chain is maintained during transport.

Each holding point code must order vaccines for their own facility. To avoid cold chain issues and to preserve the integrity of the vaccines, each holding point code is able to order enough vaccine for their individual clinic to last approximately one month. Ordering more than a one-month supply of vaccine can contribute to vaccine wastage in the case of power disruptions.

If your office has an account with a vaccine courier, when you place your vaccine order you will have the option to choose whether you would like to pick up your vaccine order at 1151 Bronte Road or have it delivered to your office by the vaccine courier. If you would like your order delivered by vaccine courier, you should select this from the online ordering form and your order will be delivered on your scheduled delivery day. If you would prefer to pick-up your order, you will need to select this option on the online ordering system and select a pick-up time.


Vaccine Pick-up

Pick up your vaccine order at Halton Regional Centre, 1151 Bronte Road in Oakville (Google map). When you arrive, park on the north side of the building in either the designated spots for Health Department pick up or visitor parking in Lot I. Enter through the door labelled “STM-2B”, located across from parking lot I, beside the main loading dock. Please go to the Facilities Service Desk for vaccine pick-up. If you require an accessible entrance, please use the entrance on the east side of the building and reception will direct you to the Facilities Service Desk.

See the map attached (PDF file) for further directions on where to park and how to enter the building.

Vaccine pick-up times are:

  • Tuesdays from 9 a.m. -11:30 a.m.
  • Wednesdays from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Each municipality will follow a bi-weekly vaccine distribution schedule. Vaccine pick-up dates will correspond with the Vaccine Distribution schedule for your municipality.

If you choose to pick up your vaccines from 1151 Bronte Road, please:

  • ensure that your hard-sided insulated container is between +2.0○C and +8.0○C;
  • closely follow the most recent Insulated Container section in the Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines to avoid being unable to collect your vaccines;
  • ensure your hard-sided insulated container has a maximum-minimum thermometer and that you follow the Insulated Containers requirements in the Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines
  • use refrigerated water blankets to ensure vaccine safety when preparing and packing an insulated container; and
  • ensure that your hard-sided cooler is large enough to store your entire vaccine order. Packaging for many vaccines has changed since the start of the pandemic with pre-filled syringes becoming more common. Since pre-filled syringes take up more physical space, your vaccine order may not fit in a single hard-sided cooler.

If the Public Health Pharmacy team determines that you are not prepared to safely transport your vaccine order, you will have to return at a later date once you are able to fulfill the vaccine cold chain requirements.

Vaccine orders that are not picked up on the scheduled pick-up date will be available for pick-up on the next bi-weekly pick-up date for your municipality. If you need to cancel your pick-up date, please call 311 or email accesshalton@halton.ca for options.

The option to pick up vaccine at Joseph Brant, Georgetown, or Milton District hospitals, is no longer available. Vaccines must be picked up from the Halton Regional Centre at 1151 Bronte Road in Oakville.

Hospital vaccine pick-up has not been available since November 2020 for various reasons. Since Public Health Units are responsible for storing and distributing a large quantity of vaccines, the Ministry of Health has additional vaccine storage and handling requirements that we are required to follow. These requirements are in place to minimize the risk of vaccine wastage. Since hospitals are not required to follow the additional vaccine storage and handling requirements that public health units are required to follow, vaccines available through public health, must be picked up either at Public Health or delivered through a courier service.


Enforcement of the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA)

For the 2024/2025 school year, Halton Region Public Health will be enforcing Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) (external link) for students born 2007 to 2012, and 2017 who are missing immunization records with Public Health.

A resource guide has been developed to help Health Care Providers understand the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), how it impacts patients and how to help families comply with the Act and avoid school suspension. The resource guide includes helpful tips for immunization record assessment, key messaging for families with different needs and links to other helpful resources.

Download the resource guide (PDF file)

This document is intended to provide guidance specific to vaccines and schedules required under the ISPA, and should be used in conjunction with the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules for Ontario - June 2022 (external PDF) and The Canadian Immunization Guide (external link).

Visit Halton’s Immunization Reporting page for more ISPA enforcement information (external link)


Vaccine Exemptions

For the 2024/2025 school year, Halton Region Public Health will be enforcing Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) (external link) for students born 2007 to 2012, and 2017 who are missing immunization records with Public Health.

A parent or guardian may decide against vaccinating their child for medical or personal reasons. To complete a medical exemption, choose one of the forms below:

Visit Halton’s Vaccine
Exemption for Children page for more information on exemptions (external link)


School Immunization Clinics

Halton Region Public Health provides school-based vaccines for Grade 7 students at public, private, Catholic and French school boards twice during the school year – once in the Fall and once in the Spring.

School immunization clinics are finished for the season and will resume in the spring for grade 7 and 8 students.

School-based vaccines include:

  • Meningococcal Conjugate-ACYW-135 (Nimenrix®/ Menactra®) (required for school attendance)
  • Hepatitis B (ENGERIX®-B/ Recombivax®HB) (recommended)
  • Human Papillomavirus (GARDASIL®9) (recommended)

Please encourage your patients to report all vaccinations done by a primary healthcare provider to Halton Region Public Health using the online immunization reporting system (external link).

Visit Halton’s school-based immunization page for more information on school and community immunization clinics (external link)

Community Immunization Clinics

Community immunization clinics for students in grades 9 through 12 are happening February 14, 18, and 19. These clinics are walk-in only.

Community immunization clinics for students in grades 2, 7, and 8 are scheduled for late February and March. 

Who is eligible to receive School-based Vaccines?

Students become eligible for school-based vaccines when they enter grade 7, and remain eligible until the end of grade 12. Older students may require additional doses, based on the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules for Ontario.

Visit Halton’s school-based immunization page to learn more.


COVID-19 Vaccines

Ontario’s COVID-19 Vaccine Program offers COVID-19 vaccines free of charge to all individuals 6 months of age and older in Ontario, regardless of citizenship or immigration status. They do not need to have an Ontario health card.

Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine program aims to ensure as many Ontarians as possible are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines for the purposes of protecting individuals against severe COVID-19 disease, including hospitalization and death.

Please visit the Ministry of Health webpage: COVID 19 Vaccine Program for more information (external link).

COVID-19 Vaccine Onboarding Program

Health care professionals are uniquely positioned to provide information, answer questions and immunize individuals against COVID-19. The COVID-19 Vaccine Onboarding Program allows for administration of the COVID-19 vaccine by all eligible facilities. Ensuring ongoing access to COVID-19 vaccines across various health care settings promotes individuals remaining up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

The following steps must be completed before you can provide COVID-19 vaccines. Public Health is here to support you with this process:

To enroll in the COVID-19 vaccine program, eligible facilities must complete a Vaccine Agreement (PDF file) and submit to covidvaccine@halton.ca using the subject line: “COVID-19 Vaccine Onboarding Program.”

All staff who will be involved with COVID-19 vaccines at your facility must review Halton Region’s COVID-19 Vaccine Onboarding Training video.

Once all required clinic staff have completed the OntarioMD: COVax training and Halton Region’s COVID-19 Vaccine Onboarding training, your facility must complete a COVax Account Registration Form (to be emailed to your facility) and submit to covidvaccine@halton.ca.

The Health Department will contact your facility directly to provide your Vaccination Event and outline next steps.

Once your facility has received its Vaccination Event and staff have activated their COVax accounts and downloaded the Salesforce Authenticator application to their personal smartphone device, COVID-19 vaccine orders can be submitted online using the Vaccine Order Form. COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed with other publicly-funded vaccines according to the Vaccine Distribution Schedule.

A COVID-19 Vaccine Inventory Report (PDF file) must be completed for each day that vaccines are administered/wasted at your facility and sent to covidvaccine@halton.ca.

Any questions or concerns related to the COVID-19 vaccine onboarding program should be directed to covidvaccine@halton.ca.

Halton Region COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

Halton Region COVID-19 Vaccination Services for Homebound Residents

For information on eligibility and how to request this service, please see Halton Region COVID-19 Vaccination Service for Homebound Residents.


Influenza Vaccine

The Ministry of Health has launched the 2024/2025 Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP) (external link). Ontario’s UIIP offers free influenza vaccine each year for individuals six months of age and older who live, work, or go to school in Ontario.

Healthcare Providers are encouraged to co-administer influenza vaccine with other seasonal immunizations (e.g., COVID-19 vaccine, RSV vaccine or RSV monoclonal antibody products), as indicated as we prepare for the Fall respiratory season.

Product Availability

The publicly funded influenza vaccines available for the 2024/2025 UIIP include:

Quadrivalent Inactivated Vaccine (QIV)
  • FluLaval Tetra
    • ≥ 6 months of age
  • Fluzone® Quadrivalent
    • ≥ 6 months of age
  • Flucelvax® Quad
    • ≥ 6 months of age
High-Dose Quadrivalent Inactivated Vaccine (QIV-HD)
  • Fluzone® High-Dose Quadrivalent
    • ≥ 65 years
Adjuvanted Trivalent Inactivated Vaccine (TIV-adj)
  • Fluad®
    • ≥ 65 years
Note:
  • As the province receives its influenza vaccine in increments, the initial influenza vaccine supply will be prioritized for hospitals and long-term care homes (LTCHs) for the vaccination of hospital patients and staff, and LTCH residents, staff and caregivers. As the provincial supply is replenished, priority should be given to retirement homes and other congregate settings where there are other vulnerable groups.
  • The number of doses a primary care provider receives in their first order (after the blackout/auto shipment period) may be adjusted in accordance with provincial and local vaccine supply.
  • The publicly funded QIV products (FluLaval Tetra, Fluzone® Quadrivalent and Flucelvax® Quad) will be distributed based on product availability. Requests for specific QIV products cannot be accommodated.
  • Fluzone® Quadrivalent and Fluzone® High-Dose Quadrivalent are different products. Fluzone® High-Dose Quadrivalent is authorized ONLY for those 65 years of age and older. Please use caution when administering Fluzone® products to ensure that the right vaccine is being administered to the right person.
  • FluMist® Quadrivalent is a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) currently authorized for use in Canada but is NOT one of the publicly funded influenza vaccines available for the 2024/2025 UIIP. For further information, refer to the NACI Statement on seasonal influenza vaccine for 2024-2025 (external link)
  • Please check the vaccine distribution schedule for your next order date and delivery after the blackout period.

Influenza Vaccine Eligibility

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends that influenza vaccine should be offered annually to anyone 6 months of age and older who does not have a contraindication to the vaccine.

  • Children 6 months to less than 9 years of age, who have NOT been previously immunized with any influenza vaccine in their lifetime, are recommended to receive 2 doses of influenza vaccine at least 4 weeks apart.
  • Children 6 months to less than 9 years of age, who have been previously immunized with at least one dose of any influenza vaccine in their lifetime, are recommended to receive 1 dose of influenza vaccine.
  • Individuals 9 years of age and older are recommended to receive 1 dose of influenza vaccine.

Influenza immunization should be prioritized and vaccination may begin as soon as vaccine is available for:

  • hospitalized individuals, hospital staff, and care providers
  • long-term care home (LTCH) residents, staff and care providers
  • residents, staff, and care providers in retirement homes and other congregate living settings
  • individuals at high-risk for flu related complications or hospitalization
  • health care workers
  • first responders
  • individuals with significant exposure to birds or mammals, such as poultry, livestock, slaughterhouse and processing plant workers, wildlife officers/researchers, and veterinarians
Vaccination to begin on October 28, 2024 for:
  • general population (including the 2 particularly recommended groups)

For additional information please visit the Ministry's Universal Influenza Immunization Program website (external link).

Resources

National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI): Statement on seasonal influenza vaccine for 2024-2025 (external link)


Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of lower respiratory illness particularly among infants, young children, and older adults. Ontario’s two RSV prevention programs are available to help prevent serious outcomes, such as hospitalization, caused by the virus.

High-Risk Older Adult RSV Vaccine Program

There are two vaccine products available for the 2024-2025 High-Risk Older Adult RSV prevention Program: Arexvy and Abrysvo.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) (external link) strongly recommends RSV immunization programs using either product for:

  • adults 75 years of age and older, particularly for older adults at increased risk of severe RSV disease
  • adults 60 years of age and older who are residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities.

NACI recommends that an RSV vaccine may be considered as an individual decision by adults 60 to 74 years of age with their health care provider. Speak to your pharmacist or health care provider to see if RSV vaccination is right for you.

Ontario’s publicly funded RSV prevention program for older adults targets high-risk individuals and settings. Please see the Ontario Ministry of Health – Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) prevention programs for Health Care Providers for more information (external link) regarding eligibility.

Long-term care and retirement home residents should receive an RSV vaccine through their residences.

Hospitals are responsible for ordering and administering publicly funded RSV vaccinations to eligible individuals who are:

  • In hospital receiving alternate level of care (ALC) including similar settings (for example, complex continuing care, hospital transitional programs)
  • Patients receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis
  • Recipients of solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplants

Health care providers are responsible for ordering and administering publicly funded RSV vaccinations to eligible individuals who are:

  • Experiencing homelessness
  • Identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis, including those in urban settings

Adults 60+ who do not qualify for a free RSV vaccine

Adults 60 years of age and older who do not qualify for a publicly funded dose may choose to purchase this vaccine through a pharmacy with a prescription from a health care provider. See Ontario Ministry of Health – Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) prevention programs for Health Care Providers for more information (external link).

Infant and High-Risk Children RSV Prevention Program

The National Advisory Committee (NACI) (external link) recommends the monoclonal antibody product, Beyfortus (nirsevimab), to be given to infants over the vaccination of pregnant people based on how well Beyfortus works, duration of protection, and safety profile.

For the 2024-2025 season, Ontario’s Infant and High-risk Children RSV Prevention Program (external link) includes two products:
  1. Beyfortus (nirsevimab): A monoclonal antibody that is administered to infants to provide short-term protection against RSV.
    • Beyfortus (nirsevimab) is the preferred product to protect infants this season.
    • Administration Schedule – Timing
      • Infants born during RSV season: Administered in hospital prior to discharge and documented in BORN database.
      • Births outside the hospital and infants born outside RSV season: Administered in community/specialists/outpatient clinics.
    • Details about Beyfortus ordering and distribution will be shared in mid to late October, which is when this product is anticipated to be available.
    • BEYFORTUS™ (nirsevimab) monoclonal antibody product monograph (external PDF)
  2. Abrysvo (RSVpreF): RSV vaccine that is administered to pregnant individuals between 32 and 36 weeks gestation, who will deliver near the start of or during the RSV season. The RSV season is generally from November to April. The vaccine must be administered at least two weeks prior to delivery.
    ABRYSVO® vaccine product monograph (external link)

Avrexy is not authorized for use in pregnancy.

How to Order RSV Prevention Products

Publicly-funded doses of the RSV vaccine and the monoclonal antibody Beyfortus must be ordered through Public Health.

Facilities can order RSV immunizing agents for individuals who are eligible for a publicly funded dose by faxing a completed RSV Products Order Form to 905-465-3403.

Products will be sent to your facility according to Halton Region’s vaccine distribution schedule.


Updated Eligibility for Routine Vaccines

As of September 2022, all students in grades 7 to end of grade 12 will be eligible for the publicly funded Hepatitis B vaccine.

*Individuals aged 16 years to less than 19 years require a 3-dose Hep B 0.5 mL (pediatric) immunization schedule as per the Canadian Immunization Guide (external link).

Individuals who have not completed the HB series prior to age 16 must follow Table 7: Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule recommended intervals for remaining doses using the HB pediatric (0.5 mL) formulation.

For those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, refer to the Guidance for Routine & Catch-up Immunization Services, Ministry of Health for information on extended eligibility.

HPV-9 vaccine eligibility starts in grade 7 and extends to the end of grade 12 for all students, regardless of gender, as per the updated Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule.

For those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, refer to the Guidance for Routine & Catch-up Immunization Services, Ministry of Health for information on extended eligibility.

*Individuals aged 15 years and older require a 3-dose HPV-9 immunization schedule as per the Canadian Immunization Guide (external link).

Currently, 65-70 year olds are able to receive publicly funded Shingrix®. Seniors born in 1949, 1950, 1951, and 1952 now remain eligible to complete the 2-dose series by December 31, 2023, as per the Guidance for Routine & Catch-up Immunization Services, Ministry of Health.


Updated Eligibility for High-Risk Vaccines

Currently, males 9 to 26 years of age who meet the high-risk criteria (Table 3: Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule) are eligible for 2-3 doses of Gardasil 9®.

Males born in 1993, 1994, 1995, or 1996 now remain eligible to complete the 3-dose series by December 31, 2023, as per the Guidance for Routine & Catch-up Immunization Services, Ministry of Health. Age of the impacted cohorts falls within the Health Canada product monograph age indications for product use.

Currently 2 months to 17 year olds who meet the high-risk criteria (Table 3: Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule) are eligible for 2-4 doses of Bexsero®.

Individuals born in 2002, 2003, 2004, or 2005 now remain eligible to complete the 2-dose series by December 31, 2023, as per the Guidance for Routine & Catch-up Immunization Services, Ministry of Health. Age of the impacted cohorts falls within the Health Canada product monograph age indications for product use.

Currently, 9 months to 55 year olds who meet the high-risk criteria (Table 3: Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule) are eligible for 2-4 doses.

Individuals born in 1964, 1965, 1966, and 1967 now remain eligible to complete the 2-4 dose series by December 31, 2023, as per the Guidance for Routine & Catch-up Immunization Services, Ministry of Health.

The province publicly funds a single lifetime dose of Men-C-ACYW135 for individual’s ≥56 years of age who meet high-risk eligibility criteria listed in Table 3: Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule. These individuals may not be included in the age indication listed on the product monograph for the particular publicly funded vaccine. Therefore, administration of these vaccines is off-label and clinical judgment is advised.


Reporting an Adverse Event Following Immunization

As a health care professional, the law requires you to report an adverse event following an immunization. Do your part to monitor adverse events by following these three easy steps:

Once you have completed the reporting form, fax it to 905-465-3403.

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