Vaccine Information for Physicians

Receiving all vaccine orders online helps streamline the ordering process, improving the efficiency and accuracy of processing vaccine orders in Halton.

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

Vaccine orders submitted after 4 p.m. 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’ve missed the delivery and will need the vaccines more urgently (e.g. high risk vaccines), please call 311 or email vaccinedepot@halton.ca.

We are requesting that health care providers transition to online vaccine ordering starting immediately. Orders will not be received by fax after November 30, 2020. If you need support in transitioning to online ordering, email vaccinedepot@halton.ca.

Public health measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in limited public access to services offered at the Halton Regional Centre - 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville. To ensure continued access to publicly funded vaccines, Halton Region Public Health is implementing a vaccine courier service to minimize the need for health care providers to pick up vaccines at the Halton Regional Centre.

If you have an existing arrangement with a courier service, you can continue to use it. However, if you wish to transition to Halton Region’s courier service, please contact the vaccine depot at vaccinedepot@halton.ca for more information or to be added to our courier schedule.

If you have been picking up your vaccine orders at Joseph Brant, Georgetown, or Milton District hospitals, this option will no longer be available after October 30, 2020, and your vaccine orders will be delivered directly to your office.

Each municipality will receive bi-weekly vaccine deliveries. Routine and/or special/high-risk vaccine orders must be ordered online by 4 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to scheduled delivery dates. A detailed schedule is posted at halton.ca/physicians.

• Burlington – starting Tuesday, November 3 (and then bi-weekly)
• Oakville – starting Wednesday, November 4 (and then bi-weekly)
• Milton – starting Tuesday, November 10 (and then bi-weekly)
• Halton Hills – starting Wednesday, November 11 (and then bi-weekly)

Vaccine orders submitted after 4 p.m. 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 the vaccines are required more urgently before the next scheduled delivery date (e.g. missed delivery or high risk vaccines), please call 311 or email vaccinedepot@halton.ca for options.

Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines (PDF file) require that health care providers storing publicly funded vaccines meet specific requirements, including appropriately monitored refrigeration and cold chain maintenance. If bi-weekly delivery of vaccine orders will cause issues related to appropriate storage and inventory practices, please contact vaccinedepot@halton.ca to discuss options.

If you are unable to receive your vaccine on the scheduled delivery date for your municipality, please email vaccinedepot@halton.ca for options.

Due to COVID-19 disruptions, Halton Region Public Health will be offering complementary vaccine deliveries until March 31, 2021 for influenza, routine and special/high-risk vaccine orders. In the future, the cost to continue to delivery vaccines will be reassessed.

Vaccines will be delivered on your scheduled delivery date listed on “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 there is no staff member present to receive the delivery, vaccines will be returned to Halton Regional Centre (HRC) and will be delivered again on your next scheduled bi-weekly delivery date. Pick-ups at HRC are not permitted at this time.

No. Couriers are not permitted to drop off vaccines to another office or house. Vaccines are only permitted to be dropped off to the office on the address label and stored in a Public Health approved and inspected fridge.

Children ages 4-6 years old who need both a second dose of MMR AND a second dose of chickenpox vaccine may receive this vaccine. (Children under 4 as well as those receiving either antigen for the 1st time should receive the antigens separately.)

• Ontario has transitioned from the pentavalent rotavirus vaccine RotaTeq® (Rot-5) to the monovalent rotavirus vaccine, Rotarix® (Rot-1) in the infant rotavirus immunization program.
• Ontario is switching products as a result of the federally coordinated vaccine purchasing program.
• Infants born on or after June 1, 2021, should start and complete their series with 2 doses of Rotarix®.

Updates to the Ontario Rotavirus Immunization Program: Product change to Rotarix® vaccine: Questions and Answers for Health Care Providers (PDF file).

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has expanded Ontario’s Human Papillomavirus (HPV4) Immunization Program. Changes include:

• Offering HPV4 vaccine to all boys and girls in grade 7 from the 2016-17 school year and going forward.
• Ongoing eligibility for females until the end of August after grade 12
• Ongoing eligibility for males who were in grade 7 in the 2016-17 school year until the end of August after grade 12

Vaccines are offered at Halton regional immunization clinics by appointment. Patients should call 311 to schedule an appointment.

Eligible physician practices must submit a completed Readiness Checklist (PDF file) and signed Memorandum of Understanding (PDF file) to pharmacists@halton.ca to enroll in the COVID-19 vaccine program.

Note:

• If practicing in association, in a cost sharing arrangement or as individuals, all physicians must sign the MOU.
• If practicing through a corporation or partnership, one physician can sign the MOU on behalf of the corporation or partnership.

The Health Department will contact your practice directly to confirm eligibility and proceed with the onboarding process.

All staff who will be using COVax must complete COVaxON OntarioMD Training for Primary Care Practices (external link).

All staff who will be involved with COVID-19 vaccine at the physician practice must attend Halton Region’s COVID-19 Vaccine Online Onboarding Session.

• 1 hour sessions will be offered over zoom on various dates and times. The first session will be held on Tuesday October 26th, 5 - 6 p.m.
• For upcoming session dates and times, please email pharmacists@halton.ca.

Once all required clinic staff have completed the OntarioMD COVax training and Halton Online Onboarding session, the Health Department will proceed with setting up COVax accounts and provide all necessary resources.

Physician practices will be notified by the Health Department when they can begin ordering COVID-19 vaccine. Orders for COVID-19 vaccine must be submitted online using the Vaccine Order Form.

• COVID-19 vaccines are delivered to primary care on Thursdays.
• Orders must be submitted by 4:00pm on Friday to receive vaccine the following Thursday.
• A minimum of one week (5 consecutive days) of vaccine fridge temps must be submitted with the vaccine order.

Note: COVID-19 vaccines cannot be ordered until Steps 1-4 have been completed.