COVID-19 and flu vaccines

Recommended wait times for booster doses 

• The province of Ontario recommends waiting 6 months (168 days) after your last vaccine dose or after having COVID-19 before getting a booster dose. This is to allow for the best immune response before receiving a dose. You must wait a minimum of 3 months (84 days).
• The province of Ontario recommends the following groups to receive their booster dose 3 months after their last vaccine dose or after getting COVID-19:
  • Aged 65 or older
  • Indigenous individuals aged 18 years and over, and their household members aged 18 years and over
  • Living in long-term care, retirement homes, or other congregate settings that provide assisted-living and health services
  • Pregnant individuals
  • Moderately to severely immunocompromised aged 12 and over
  • Health care workers aged 18 and over

Eligibility for bivalent booster - individuals 12 years of age and over

• Individuals aged 12 years of age and over

If you have been ill with COVID-19, we recommend waiting 6 months (168 days), minimum 3 months (84 days), to allow for the best immune response before receiving a booster dose.

The province of Ontario recommends waiting 6 months (168 days) after your last dose before getting a booster dose, with a minimum interval of 84 days (with informed consent).

Eligibility for bivalent booster - individuals 12 to 17 years of age and immunocompromised

Individuals 12 to 17 years of age who are moderately to severely immunocompromised are eligible for a bivalent booster. The use of bivalent Moderna in this age group is off-label and we advise you to speak with your health care provider prior to attending clinic.

For individuals who have been ill with COVID-19, we recommend waiting 6 months, minimum 3 months (84 days), to allow for the best immune response before receiving their booster dose.

Booster dose eligibility for those 5 to 17 years of age

• Monovalent (original) booster doses are available for those five to 17 years of age who received their second dose a minimum of 84 days ago. The province of Ontario recommends a 6 month (168 days) wait time between second and booster dose.
• If your child has been ill with COVID-19, we recommend waiting 6 months, minimum 3 months (84 days), to allow for the best immune response before receiving your booster dose.

Eligibility for children 6 months to 4 years of age

COVID-19 vaccine is available for children six months to under five years of age.

• If the child has been ill with COVID-19, we recommend waiting two months (56 days) to allow for the best immune response before receiving their first or second dose. 
• Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for those six months to five years of age is a two-dose series. Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for those six months to four years of age is a three-dose series. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends an interval of eight weeks between doses to provide the strongest possible protection against COVID-19.
• For those who are six months to five years of age, and immunocompromised or have a history of MIS-C, please review the provincial vaccine recommendations.

Receiving other vaccines before and after COVID-19 vaccine

Children between six months and under five years should wait 14 days before or after the administration of another vaccine before getting their COVID-19 vaccine. Parents and caregivers of children aged six months to under five years should discuss COVID-19 vaccination with their health care provider to determine the best timing and approach for COVID-19 vaccination. A shorter interval between the administration of Moderna vaccine and a different vaccine may be warranted in some circumstances at the discretion of your child’s health care provider. 

Learn about the COVID-19 vaccine for children under five years of age and the benefits of getting the vaccine for this age group.

Booking information for first and second doses

• Individuals who received an mRNA (Pfizer or Moderna) vaccine as a first dose should wait 56 days before receiving a second dose.

Monovalent booster dose eligibility

• The province of Ontario recommends waiting 6 month (168 days), with a minimum of 3 months wait time between monovalent (e.g., Pfizer or Moderna) booster doses. 
• If you have been ill with COVID-19, we recommend waiting 6 months, with a minimum waiting time of 3 months (84 days) to allow for the best immune response before receiving your third or fourth booster.

Janssen vaccine

• Due to the approval and availability of a safer and more effective product, Novovax Nuvaxovid Covid-19 vaccine, we no longer are providing the Janssen vaccine.
• If you have concerns about mRNA vaccine and would prefer to receive the Novavax Nuvaxovid Covid-19 vaccine, phone our COVID-19 call centre at 613-549-1232 to be added to a wait list.

Nuvaxovid vaccine

• Health Canada has approved the Novavax Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine as of February 17 and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has issued recommendations for its use.

• The Novavax Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine is available as:

  • A first and second dose primary series

  • A first, second, and third dose primary series for those who are immunocompromised, with informed consent.

• The Novavax Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine is not currently authorized for use as a booster dose (third or fourth dose) in Canada.

Medicago vaccine

• On February 24, Health Canada approved the Medicago COVID-19 vaccine for adults aged 18 to 64.
• KFL&A Public Health is waiting to receive further guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization and supply details from the federal government.