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This page includes answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination, vaccine safety, and the latest information on Halton Region’s COVID-19 vaccination program. Don’t see an answer to your question here? You can always email accesshalton@halton.ca or call 311.

COVID-19 vaccination

Canada

canada.ca/covid19 (external link)

  • Approve vaccines for use in Canada
  • Procure vaccines nationally
  • Distribute vaccines to Provinces/Territories
  • Provide NACI recommendations on prioritization of administration to the Provinces/Territories

Ontario

ontario.ca/covid19 (external link)

  • Receive vaccine from Federal Government
  • Prioritize rollout across Ontario, including who gets the vaccine, when and where
  • Distribute vaccine to public health units, hospitals and pharmacies
  • Responsible for vaccine tracking, provincial booking system & call centre and healthcare records management

Halton Region

halton.ca/covid19

  • Receive vaccine from the Province of Ontario
  • Safely store and transport vaccine received from Province
  • Administer vaccines in accordance with the Provincially mandated prioritization framework
  • Coordinate with local hospitals and other healthcare providers

As part of Halton’s commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, we are continuing to plan for the respectful delivery and roll out of vaccine clinics for all of the populations listed under the Province’s prioritization plan, including all First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Peoples living within Halton. Staff have consulted with Indigenous communities and organizations to solicit guidance on how best to implement the recommendations provided by the Provincial Urban Indigenous Vaccine Distribution Sub-Tables. Together with these partners, Halton Region continues to plan for opening up vaccine clinics to all Indigenous adults. This will be coordinated based on sufficient and stable receipt of vaccine allocations from the Province and made in consultation with our COVID-19 Elder Advisory Group composed of Elders and Knowledge Keepers from communities and organizations in the area, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Credit River Métis Council and Indigenous People living in Halton. We will continue to provide updates on halton.ca/COVIDvaccines.

Getting vaccinated and staying up-to-date with your COVID 19 vaccines is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones and our communities from severe outcomes from COVID 19 and its variants. Staying up-to-date means you have completed your primary series and received a COVID-19 vaccine within the last six months. COVID-19 booster doses help restore protection that may have decrease since your last dose and keep you protected from severe illness from COVID-19.

Vaccination is very important, even if you have been previously infected with COVID-19. While infection alone provides some protection, vaccination after infection helps improve the immune response and may provide better and longer-lasting protection against current and future variants of the virus.

Learn more about when to get the COVID-19 vaccine if you’ve had COVID. (external link)

Fear of needles is very common. However, it’s important that fear of needles doesn’t interfere with good health. Getting your COVID-19 vaccine is an important step to reduce your risk of developing COVID-19 symptoms.

If you are anxious about vaccinations, follow these tips (external PDF):

  • Eat a snack before you come to your appointment.
  • Get comfortable. Sit up in your chair. Make your arm loose or jiggly.
  • If you feel dizzy, tense your stomach and leg muscles.
  • Try belly breathing (pretend to blow out a candle).
  • Do some self-talk. Tell yourself that you can handle this!
  • Allow yourself to daydream while you are getting your vaccine.

Sedation is not an available option at any of our clinics.

It is unknown if the COVID-19 vaccination will become an annual vaccination, like the flu shot. It is too early to know the duration of protection COVID-19 vaccines offer, as these vaccines are new and are still being studied.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is strongly encouraged.

Workplaces:

Public settings:

Learn how to get your COVID-19 enhanced vaccine certificate.

If a client 12 years of age or older is not able to provide informed consent to receive the vaccines, and requires a parent/legal guardian/substitute decision maker to provide informed consent on their behalf, a COVID-19 consent form should be completed and brought to the clinic (PDF file).

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends a longer interval between doses as it has been shown to result in a better immune response and somewhat better vaccine effectiveness than shorter intervals (external PDF). Individuals 12 years of age and older may be able to receive a vaccine earlier than the recommended interval. If desired:

  • a second or third dose of a primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series can be received a minimum of 28 days after the last dose. (This minimum interval is for mRNA vaccine only).
  • a booster dose can be received a minimum of 3 months (84 days) after completion of a primary COVID-19 vaccine series.

Boosters

The protection you get from the COVID-19 vaccine may decrease over time. Immunity after an infection also decreases over time. Evidence suggests COVID-19 booster dose(s) restore protection against the virus, including against new variants of the COVID-19 virus. COVID-19 vaccine booster doses also help to increase protection against severe outcomes for individuals and helps to reduce transmission to the community. To learn more, read the Stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccine Factsheet.

A bivalent COVID-19 booster dose combines two types of vaccine. Included in the bivalent COVID-19 booster dose authorized by Health Canada is a vaccine that targets the original COVID-19 strain along with a second that targets the Omicron variant.

Health Canada has authorized the Moderna Spikevax bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (external link) and Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (external link). There is no preferential recommendation between Moderna Bivalent or Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent as a bivalent booster dose for individuals 18 years of age and older.

Getting vaccinated in Halton Region

Yes. The COVID-19 in-home vaccination service is available for individuals who are homebound. Eligible residents12 years of age or older can submit a request for the COVID-19 in-home vaccination service by completing the COVID-19 in-home vaccination service form.

For more information about this program, visit COVID-19 vaccination clinic webpage.

Select primary care offices are offering COVID-19 vaccines to community members (please refer to our COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics webpage). Vaccine supply is limited and available by appointment only.

If you’re interested in vaccinating some of your patients Halton Region Public Health can support you with infection prevention and control measures and COVax training.

Please send an email to doctors@halton.ca and Halton Region Public Health will contact your clinic to discuss administering COVID-19 vaccines in your clinic.

No. Parking is free of charge at all Halton Region COVID-19 vaccination clinic locations.

Anyone who lives, works or attends school in Halton region is eligible to be vaccinated regardless of their citizenship status or whether or not they have an Ontario Health Card.

If you do not have a health card, bring a piece of identification, or combination of documents, that include a photo, full legal name and date of birth such as:

  • driver’s license
  • piece of registered mail
  • pay stub
  • student card
  • other government issued identification, including out-of- province I.D.s or foreign national passports

Electronic versions of documents are accepted. Expired government issued identify documents are also accepted.

For more information, please refer to the Preparing for your vaccination appointment webpage.

COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility

Yes. Pregnant individuals and their babies have a higher risk of developing severe complications (requiring hospitalization or intensive care) and death from a COVID-19 infection compared to non-pregnant individuals. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine can help protect you and your baby from these complications.

Several studies and real-world data have not found any safety concerns for the pregnant individual or their baby.

Experts like the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) (external PDF) and National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) (external link) strongly recommend pregnant people get a complete COVID-19 vaccine series.

Yes. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective and highly recommended if you are breastfeeding. Antibodies made by the mother’s body after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine have been shown to pass into the breastmilk, which provides protection to your baby. It is safe to continue breastfeeding after COVID-19 vaccination.

Experts like the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) (external PDF) and National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) (external link) strongly recommend getting vaccinated while breastfeeding. It’s important to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect you and your baby.

COVID-19 vaccines do not cause male or female infertility and there is no evidence to suggest that they will cause infertility. In fact, getting fully vaccinated before you conceive will protect you and your future baby from the risk of COVID-19 in pregnancy.

Vaccine policies and proof of vaccination

While proof of vaccination requirements have been lifted for all settings in Ontario as of March 1, 2022, employers may continue to implement a vaccination policy for employees. Vaccination policies for workers are separate from proof of vaccination requirements for patrons.

Halton’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Hamidah Meghani, has recommended that all local employers address the need for a workplace vaccination policy to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

When determined by the employer to be reasonably necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19, workplace policies can require workers to provide proof of vaccination for COVID-19.

In some workplaces vaccination may be mandatory, meaning that workers must provide proof of vaccination subject only to the employer’s obligation to provide accommodation under Ontario’s Human Rights Code. Other workplaces may encourage but not require vaccination. An employer may establish different rules or requirements for unvaccinated workers (for example, use of additional personal protective equipment, worker relocation and modified work or reassignments, etc.).

Your employer’s decision to implement such a policy, and the details of that policy, may be informed by a number of factors such as the type of workplace and the risks it presents for transmitting COVID-19, the work of the workers and consideration of the duty to accommodate (if applicable).

Workplace vaccination policies should adhere to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (external link), the Ontario Human Rights Code (external link) and privacy laws (external link).

All residents who have been vaccinated in Ontario are able to access proof of their vaccination through the provincial vaccination website (external link).

While proof of vaccination requirements have been lifted for all settings in Ontario as of March 1, 2022, employers may continue to implement a vaccination policy for employees. Vaccination policies for workers are separate from proof of vaccination requirements for patrons.

Halton’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Hamidah Meghani, has recommended that all local employers address the need for a workplace vaccination policy to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

When the employer determines that it is reasonable and necessary, workplace policies can require workers to provide proof of vaccination to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Other workplaces may encourage but not require vaccination. An employer may set different rules or requirements for unvaccinated workers (for example, use of additional personal protective equipment, worker relocation and modified work or reassignments, etc.).

An employer’s decision to implement a workplace vaccination policy, and the details of that policy, may be informed by a number of factors such as the type of workplace and the risks it presents for transmitting COVID-19, the work of the workers and consideration of the duty to accommodate (if applicable).

A vaccination policy in the workplace should be in writing and adhere to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (external link), the Ontario Human Rights Code (external link) and privacy laws (external link).

All residents who have been vaccinated in Ontario are able to access proof of their vaccination through the provincial vaccination website (external link).

For more information on workplace vaccination policies, visit Public Health COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses.

Your workplace vaccination policy should address this issue.

In some workplaces vaccination may be mandatory, meaning that workers must provide proof of vaccination subject only to the employer’s obligation to provide accommodation under Ontario’s Human Rights Code. Other workplaces may encourage but not require vaccination. An employer may establish different rules or requirements for unvaccinated workers, (for example, use of additional personal protective equipment, worker relocation and modified work or reassignments etc.).

Your decision to implement a workplace vaccination policy, and the details of that policy, may be informed by a number of factors such as the type of workplace and the risks it presents for transmitting COVID-19, the work of the workers and consideration of the duty to accommodate (if applicable).

A vaccination policy in the workplace should be in writing and adhere to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (external link), the Ontario Human Rights Code (external link) and privacy laws (external link).

Youth Vaccination Program (12-17 years old)

For FAQs related to children aged 6 months to 11 years, please visit halton.ca/COVIDvaccines4kids.

COVID-19 vaccines are only provided if informed consent is received from the person to be vaccinated, including those aged 12 to 17, and as long as the youth has the capacity to make this decision. This means that they understand:

  • what vaccination involves,
  • why it is being recommended; and
  • the risks and benefits of accepting or refusing to be vaccinated.

Even if the youth is able to provide informed consent, they should talk about this decision with their parent/guardian or an adult they trust such as a principal or a teacher.

If a youth, 12 years of age or older, is not able to provide informed consent to receive the vaccines, and requires a parent/legal guardian/substitute decision maker to provide informed consent on their behalf, a COVID-19 consent form should be completed and brought to the clinic (PDF file). To help youth and families make an informed decisions, please refer to:

No. COVID-19 vaccination is voluntary, but strongly encouraged. At this time, youth are not required to be immunized for COVID-19 in order to attend school under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) (external link).

Yes. Youth who are not up-to-date on other vaccines can still receive a COVID-19 vaccine. They are encouraged to contact their health care provider to get up-to-date with their other vaccines as soon as possible.

COVID-19 vaccines do not need to be reported to public health. If you or your child received a COVID-19 vaccine in Ontario, it is already recorded in the province’s COVID-19 immunization data base and you do not need to submit additional proof.

Parents/guardians of children/students living in Halton should report all routine immunizations (e.g. MMR, whooping cough, polio, meningitis) through the online immunization reporting tool (external link). Please do not report COVID vaccines through this online tool.

Where to get help if you have questions about getting vaccinated for COVID-19

If you have questions or concerns about getting vaccinated for COVID-19, you can:

  • speak with your primary health care provider (for example, family doctor, nurse practitioner, midwife); or
  • connect by phone with a trained health care provider who can offer accurate information on getting vaccinated for COVID-19 as listed below.
Agency Who this service is for Type of support How to book an appointment Helpful information
Scarborough Health Network – VaxFacts (external link)
  • All ages
20 minute, 1:1 telephone consultation with a doctor
  • Free to anyone living in Canada
  • No Ontario Health Card required
  • Language support available
  • 7 days/week, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Hospital for Sick Kids (external link)
  • Youth 5 years or older
  • Parent, caregiver, or legal guardian of a child or youth
  • Provide support for youth/children with complex medical histories or medical conditions, including fear of needles.
Telephone consultation with a paediatric Registered Nurse
  • Free to anyone living in Ontario
  • No Ontario Health Card required
  • Need to complete Intake form
  • Language support available
  • Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
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