Vaccines are safe, effective, and the best way to protect ourselves and those around us from serious illnesses like COVID-19.
Vaccines work with our immune system so our bodies will be ready to fight the virus if we are exposed. This can reduce your risk of developing COVID-19 and make your symptoms milder if you do get it.
ONTARIO'S VACCINATION PORTAL: Book a vaccine appointment and/or download proof of vaccination by visiting this link. |
MORE INFORMATION: Visit this link to the Ottawa Public Health website for the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 vaccination. Much of this information is also outlined below. |
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GETTING YOUR COVID-19 VACCINE IN ONTARIO
Ontario is currently in "phase 3" of our vaccination roll-out and vaccines available widely across the province for anyone who wants to be immunized.
There are many places you can get your COVID-19 vaccine.
You can book a vaccination appointment for your first or second dose online by visiting covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line number at 1-833-943-3900.
You may also be able to get vaccinated
1) At a local pharmacy - Find and contact a participating pharmacy close to you by visiting this link.
2) At a local hospital clinic - Visit your local hospital website to see if they are offering vaccinations.
3) At a "pop-up" or mobile vaccination clinic - Many cities and towns are offering pop-up clinics at various public locations. Search for "mobile" or "pop up" clinics near you.
Visit this link for more details about scheduling your appointment online, what to do if you don't have a provincial health card, if you forgot your appointment information or would like to reschedule or cancel your appointment.
Read the section below for additional answers to some common questions about COVID-19 and vaccines.
PROOF OF VACCINATION
As of September 22nd, 2021 you will need to provide proof of vaccination to access certain businesses and settings to help further protect Ontarians from COVID-19.
(An enhanced vaccine certificate with a unique QR code will be available as of October 22, 2021.)
For more information about where proof of vaccination is required and how it will help protect Ontarians, visit this link.
Downloading Your Vaccine Receipt
After you are vaccinated, you can log in to Ontario's provincial portal here to download or print an electronic COVID-19 vaccine receipt (PDF) for each dose you have received.
Vaccine receipts are available:
for first and second doses received in Ontario (once you get them)
regardless of where you were vaccinated (for example, at a mass immunization clinic, hospital, pharmacy, or in a primary care setting)
To log in and get your receipt, you will need:
a green photo health (OHIP) card (you will need numbers from both the front and back of the card, expired cards will be accepted)
your date of birth
your postal code (the one associated with your health card)
If you have a red and white health card, call the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line at 1-833-943-3900. The call centre agent can email you a copy of your receipt.
Ontarians who received their first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine out of province should contact their local public health unit to record their information and receive proper documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a viral infection that primarily affects the lungs. Some people may have a mild illness. Others may get very sick, including older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions. Very rarely, some children can get a serious case.
2. What Vaccines are Authorized for Use Against COVID-19?
After independent and thorough scientific reviews for safety, efficacy, and quality, Health Canada has approved four vaccines for use in Canada:
Pfizer-BioNTech – approved on December 9, 2020
Moderna – approved on December 23, 2020
AstraZeneca – approved on February 26, 2021
Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) – approved on March 5, 2021
Health Canada will continue to monitor the safety of the vaccines after they are available.
For more information about vaccine safety, visit this link.
3. What about other safety measures, like physical distancing?
*Receiving the vaccine does not mean that we can stop the other prevention measures.
It usually takes the body a few weeks to build immunity after receiving a vaccine. And beyond this, we must all continue to do our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the community by continuing to:
Limit your close contacts to those within your household
Practice physical distancing (staying two meters/six feet apart)
Wear a mask
Wash your hands
Stay home except for essential reasons
Follow local and Provincial guidance.
4. How do the Vaccines Work?
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA). This messenger gives instructions to cells in our bodies to make a protein from the coronavirus called a “spike protein”.
Our immune system then recognizes this protein as being different from our body’s own proteins and starts an immune response.
The mRNA is then removed by normal cellular processes and the spike proteins are destroyed by the immune system.
mRNA is not able to alter or modify a person’s genetic makeup (DNA). These messenger molecules do not interact with our own DNA in any way.
The vaccine cannot cause a covid19 infection. These vaccines do not contain any live virus. Sometimes the vaccination process can cause symptoms, like a fever. These symptoms are normal and are a sign of the immune response to the vaccine.
5. Are there possible side effects of the vaccine?
The most frequent side effects are injection site pain, fatigue, and headache. Some people also report muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever.
These symptoms are usually mild or moderate in intensity and resolve within a few days after vaccination.
These are all expected reactions to vaccines because of the immune response and are very similar to those reported following the seasonal influenza vaccination.
*If you are allergic to any component of the vaccines are not eligible to be vaccinated.
6. Can you get the vaccine if you have previously tested positive for COVID-19?
Yes. Those who have previously tested positive for COVID-19 should still be vaccinated. Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection with COVID-19 is possible, people can still get a COVID-19 vaccine even if they have been sick with COVID-19 before.
People do not need COVID-19 testing prior to vaccination.
At this time, experts do not know how long someone is protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. The immunity developed after having an infection, called natural immunity, is different from person to person. Some early evidence suggests natural immunity may not last very long. We need more information on how well the vaccine works to be able to assess how long immunity from the vaccine will last.
7. How was the vaccine prepared so quickly?
The safety standards for vaccine approval have not changed for the COVID-19 vaccines. We were, however, able to shorten the administrative process.
The federal government dedicated more scientific, financial, and human resources to vaccine reviews so they could be done as quickly as possible.
Research into the use of mRNA for vaccines, like that used in the COVID-19 vaccinations has been ongoing for over ten years.
8. How is the COVID-19 vaccine different from the flu shot?
While vaccines all aim to protect us from infection, the COVID-19 and influenza vaccine are separate products. The COVID-19 vaccine will not protect you against the flu. The seasonal influenza vaccine changes every flu season. When you receive your annual flu shot, you are protected only from the specific influenza strains that are circulating for that given season that are covered by the vaccine.
It is recommended that the COVID-19 vaccine be given 14 days after receiving any previous vaccine and additional vaccines should not be given for 28 days after the COVID-19 vaccine.