COVID-19 Vaccines

An additional dose during the Spring Campaign is open to those who were previously  vaccinated, have completed their primary series and are considered at increased risk for a COVID-19 infection including:

• Adults 65 years and older
  • Those 80 years and older are recommended to receive an additional dose of vaccine
  • Those 65 to 79 years of age may receive an additional dose of vaccine.
• Adult (18 and older) who live in long-term care homes and other congregate living settings for seniors; for example retirement homes.
• Anyone 6 months of age and older and are moderately to severely immunocompromised (due to an underlying condition or treatment).
  • See the list below for the list of underlying conditions or treatment
• Anyone 55 years and older who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Metis and their non-Indigenous household members who are 55 years and older.

Those with the following underlying conditions or receiving the following medical treatments are considered moderately to severely immunocompromised

• Solid tumour or hematologic malignancies or treatments for these conditions.
• Solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy.
• Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy). •    Immunocompromised due to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy targeting lymphocytes.
• Moderate to severe primary immunodeficiency with associated humoral and/or cell mediated immunodeficiency or immune dysregulation.
• HIV with AIDS-defining illness or TB diagnosis in last 12 months before starting vaccine series, or severe immune compromise with CD4

Those who are eligible can receive their next dose:

• 6 months (minimum 3 months) after their last  COVID-19 vaccine dose or known COVID-19 infection (whichever is later).

But, there is another factor that might affect the timing:

• Immunocompromised – Individuals should talk to their health care provider because the time timing might different based on their unique health status and personal situation.

TBDHU will not offer any clinics. Options include:

• Pharmacy - Use the provincial pharmacy locator to find a pharmacy providing COVID-19 vaccines to those who are 2 and older.
• Health Care Provider - Contact your health care provider to ask if they will be offering the vaccine
• No Health Care Provider - If you don’t have a health care provider, book an appointment at the TBDHU clinic (999 Balmoral) by using the online booking system at TBDHU.com/vaxclinic

NOTE:

• Children 6 months to under 2 years – Contact TBDHU (807-625-5908) if your child in this age range is eligible and your family does not have a health care provider who can immunize.  
• Long-term care residents – Will be vaccinated at their facility
• Retirement home residents – Clinics will be offered each retirement home
• Indigenous clinics 
  • Ontario Native Women’s Association Mindimooyenh Vaccination Clinic
    • walk-in appointments are available
    • learn more on the clinic website or call 807-697-1753

Only vaccines that Health Canada has approved for use will be available in Ontario. Although Novavax is approved for use in Canada, it is not available in Ontario.

Everyone will be offered an age-appropriate and Health Canada approved vaccine based on their eligibility at the time of vaccination.

The approved vaccines show a strong immune response and prepare the immune system to fight against COVID-19 and its variants.

This significantly decreases:

• the risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 infection significantly
•  the risk of longer-term illness from multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) or adults (MS-A), a rare but serious condition that can occur in the weeks following COVID-19 infection.

No. Visit Ontario's COVID-19 vaccine web page for more information.