COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility and Recommendations

Booster doses

There are currently two types of booster doses available:

Monovalent boosters

This type of vaccine protects against the original COVID-19 strain.

Bivalent boosters

Anyone 5 years of age and older can get the bivalent COVID-19 booster dose.

A bivalent vaccine combines two types of vaccine—one that targets the original COVID-19 strain along with a second that targets the Omicron variant which is currently the dominant variant in circulation in Ontario.

All residents will receive an age-appropriate Health Canada approved vaccine. There is no preferential recommendation between Moderna bivalent COVID-19 boosters or Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 boosters for individuals 18 years of age and older. Halton Region COVID-19 Community Clinic (all ages 6 months+) offer the Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 booster dose for all those who are eligible, depending on supply.

Primary series

The primary series is the initial doses required to develop a strong immune response. Anyone six months of age or older on the day of vaccination is recommended to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Learn where you can get vaccinated.

The vaccines provided for primary series at Halton Region COVID-19 vaccination clinics are monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna, depending on supply and the person’s age). Learn more about the types of COVID-19 vaccines available.

Two-dose primary series:

For most people, a primary series is two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, at a recommended interval of eight weeks (or 56 days) apart. If you had a recent COVID-19 infection*, get your second dose eight weeks (or 56 days) after your COVID-19 symptoms started or you tested positive.

*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.

Three-dose primary series:

For some people, a primary series is three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Anyone six months or older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised (external link) are recommended to get a third dose to complete their primary series, as early as eight weeks (56 days) after their second dose.

Individuals who received two doses of a non-Health Canada authorized COVID-19 vaccine may receive a third dose to complete their primary series. Learn more about recommendations for individuals who received non-Health Canada authorized COVID-19 vaccines.

Individuals who received non-Health Canada authorized COVID-19 vaccines

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

• People who received only one or two doses of a non-HC authorized COVID-19 vaccine may receive one additional dose in Ontario at least 28 days after the previous dose to complete the primary series.
• People who received one HC authorized vaccine and one non-HC authorized vaccine (in either order) need no additional doses to complete the primary series.
• People who received three doses (any combination of HC authorized, and non-HC authorized) need no additional doses to complete the primary series.

Following any additional doses needed to complete the primary series, these individuals should follow the relevant age-based booster dose recommendations.

This guidance is subject to change.

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.

* Health Canada has approved the following COVID-19 vaccines (external link): AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Janssen, Novavax, and Medicago.

Report an out-of-province COVID-19 vaccination

If you live in Halton Region 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 a COVID-19 booster dose if you are eligible:

1) Visit a Halton Region COVID-19 Community Clinic (all ages 6 months+) and bring your original vaccination records with you. You do not need to report your vaccination records before getting a booster dose at a Halton Region COVID-19 Community Clinic (all ages 6 months+).

2) 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 local pharmacy, primary care office or other vaccination clinic. Find locations offering the COVID-19 vaccine on the COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics and Vaccine Information webpage.

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