COVID vaccination has been proven to be safe and extremely effective at reducing illness, hospitalization, ICU admission and death.
**NEW** COVID Vaccine Boosters
A dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine formulation (XBB. 1.5-containing COVID-19 mRNA vaccine) is recommended this fall for everyone 6 months of age and older if it has been 6 months since your last COVID-19 vaccine or known COVID-19 infection. Getting a dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine is very important for people who are at risk of getting very sick from the COVID-19 virus such as people 65 years and older, people who are pregnant and people living in long-term care homes, retirement homes
Neighbourhood Vaccination Hubs
In collaboration with city and community partners, Ottawa Public Health offers free drop-in services to all residents of Ottawa at our accessible Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs. Come speak to Ottawa Public Health and City of Ottawa staff.
Services available:
- Vaccination
- Employment and Social Services
- Dental Screening
- Mental Health, Addictions and Substance Use Health
- Parenting in Ottawa drop-ins
Listing of Vaccination Hubs: https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/
Patients who are Pregnant / Breastfeeding
COVID-19 vaccination for those pregnant, breastfeeding. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has updated its guidance for COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant or breastfeeding individuals, to recommend that, regardless of the number of previous doses received:
- Pregnant individuals should be offered a fall COVID-19 booster dose at any stage of pregnancy (strongly recommended by NACI)
- Breastfeeding individuals who are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 should be offered a fall COVID-19 booster dose
- Breastfeeding individuals may be offered a fall COVID-19 booster dose
Vaccine for children 6 months to 5 years
The Moderna Spikevax (25 microgram dose) mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is the first COVID19 vaccine authorized in Canada for use in pediatric populations under the age of 5 years. Moderna Spikevax (25 mcg) was approved for children 6 months to 5 years of age July/22.
https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/covid-19-vaccination-and-children.aspx
The National Advisory Community on Immunization (NACI) has issued recommendations on the use of Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 months to 5 years of age, which includes the following information:
- Clinical trial findings show that a Moderna Spikevax 25 mcg dose primary series produces an immune response in children 6 month to 5 years of age equivalent to the immune response seen in young adults 18 to 25 years of age who receive the 100 mcg dose primary series.
- Overall, the safety profile of Moderna Spikevax (25 mcg) vaccine was consistent with the known safety and reactogenicity profile of the 50 mcg and 100 mcg Spikevax formulations authorized for use in older age groups.
- The recommended vaccine schedule is a two-dose primary series with an interval of at least 8 weeks.
- Children 6 months to 5 years of age who are considered moderately to severely immunocompromised may be immunized with a primary series of three doses of the Moderna Spikevax vaccine, with an interval of 4 to 8 weeks between doses.
Community Clinics
- Drop ins are welcome at all community clinics to everyone eligible for a first dose, second dose and booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. We have lots of availability!
Richelieu Vanier Community Centre, 300 Des Pères Blancs Avenue
- New Clinic dates:
- Tuesday, November 7: 12:45 to 7:10 pm
- Tuesday, November 14: 12:45 to 7:10 pm
Tom Brown Arena 141 Bayview Rd
- New Clinic dates:
- Tuesday, October 31: 12:45 to 7:10 pm
- Wednesday, November 1: 12:45 to 7:10 pm
- Wednesday, November 8: 12:45 to 7:10 pm
- Wednesday, November 15: 12:45 to 7:10 pm
Tony Graham Recreation Complex – Kanata Complex 110 Charlie Rogers Place
- Tuesday: 12:45 to 7:10 pm
- Thursday to Saturday: 9:45 am to 4:10 pm
- Change of hours:
- Clinic closed on Saturday, November 11
Sir Wilfred Laurier Secondary School 1515 Tenth Line Road
J.H Putman School 2051 Bel-Air Drive
- Wednesday: 12:45 pm to 7:10 pm
- Thursday to Saturday: 9:45 am to 4:10 pm
- Tuesday and Wednesday: 12:45 to 7:10 pm
- Thursday to Saturday: 9:45 am to 4:10 pm
Novavax COVID Vaccine
As of April 14th, the Novavax Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine will be available through Ottawa Public Health to individuals who meet the following criteria:
- 18 years of age or older
- Live, work, or attend school in Ottawa
- Not able to receive an mRNA vaccine due to contraindications, OR are not willingto receive an mRNA vaccine
Patients must pre-register to receive the Novavax Nuvaxovid vaccine from Ottawa Public Health. General information and the form to register for a Novavax appointment is available here: Frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination
NACI recommends that Novavax Nuvaxovid may be offered to individuals in the authorized age group, without contraindications to the vaccine, who are not able or willing to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The recommended interval between dose 1 and dose 2 is 8 weeks. Novavax Nuvaxovid may also be used in a mixed primary series with mRNA vaccines or as a booster dose for individuals not able to receive an mRNA vaccine due to contraindications, or not willing to receive an mRNA vaccine.
Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
Individuals need to complete the following form to pre-register to receive the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine: https://secureforms.ottawapublichealth.ca/vaccines/janssen/Request-Janssen-Vaccine
Eligibility for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at Ottawa Public Health clinics includes those who live, work or attend school in Ottawa AND have either never previously received a COVID-19 vaccine, or who had a reaction to a previous dose of COVID-19 vaccine where it has been recommended by a physician or Nurse Practitioner to receive a non-mRNA based COVID-19 vaccine for further doses.
Kids Come First Health Team vaccination clinics
CHEO is working with its Kids Come First Health Team partners, including Ottawa Public Health, physicians and families to help vaccinate as many children as possible.
Individuals served:
The Kids Come First Health Team will be holding vaccination clinics at CHEO for children 5-11 who cannot attend a community vaccination clinic. Reasons a child may have difficulty receiving their vaccination in the community include:
- being immunocompromised
- having medical complexities or technology dependency that make it difficult to attend a clinic in the community (e.g. tracheostomy, ventilator, uncontrolled seizure disorder)
- having a condition that makes it challenging to be in crowded spaces (e.g. anxiety, autism)
- other medical reasons that are not listed above, but make it challenging for the child to be vaccinated in the community
The clinic will be open to eligible children and their household members.
If your 5-11 year old child meets the criteria above, we encourage you to pre-register for their COVID-19 vaccine through the Kids Come First Health Team’s upcoming vaccination clinics.
Please note, that pre-registration does not mean you are booking an appointment.
VACCINE EXEMPTIONS:
Generally speaking, there are very few acceptable medical exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccination and exemptions to the mRNA covid vaccines almost exclusively fall into two categories at this time:
- an allergist/immunologist-confirmed severe allergy or anaphylactic reaction to a previous dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or to any of its components that cannot be mitigated;
- a diagnosed episode of myocarditis/pericarditis after receipt of an mRNA vaccine.