Information for the 2025/2026 COVID-19 Vaccine Program and Universal Influenza Immunization Program

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: September 25, 2025
From: Dr. Laura Bourns, Deputy Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Information for the 2025/2026 COVID-19 Vaccine Program and Universal Influenza Immunization Program

Dear Colleagues,

This communication provides details on the 2025-2026 Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP) and COVID-19 vaccine program. Under these programs, publicly funded COVID-19 and influenza vaccines will be available this fall, first for high-risk and priority populations, then to the general population 6 months of age and older on October 27^th (See ‘Vaccine Availability’ below for details and timelines).

Program Eligibility

Individuals who are part of the population groups listed below are included in the fall COVID-19 and UIIP program high-risk and priority groups and are eligible for both vaccines, as soon as the vaccines are available:

• People ≥ 65 years of age*
• Adult residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings for seniors*
• Individuals 6 months of age and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised (due to specific underlying condition or treatment)*
• Individuals in or from First Nations, Métis or Inuit communities, and their non-Indigenous household members ≥ 55 years*
• Residents, staff and care providers in congregate living settings (e.g. chronic care facilities, retirement homes)
• All pregnant individuals
• All children 6 months to 4 years of age
• Individuals 6 months of age and older with the following underlying health conditions:
  • Cardiac or pulmonary disorders
  • Diabetes mellitus or other metabolic disease
  • Cancer
  • Conditions or medication which compromise the immune system*
  • Renal disease
  • Anemia or hemoglobinopathy
  • Neurologic or neurodevelopment conditions
  • Class 3 obesity (body mass index of 40 or more)
  • Children and adolescents (6 months to 18 years) undergoing treatment with acetylsalicylic acid for long periods
• Individuals from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities
• Members of underserved communities
• Health care workers and first responders
• Individuals whose occupational or recreational activities increase their risk of exposure to avian influenza A viruses

*Note: Individuals within these (*) high-risk groups are recommended and are eligible to receive an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose in the spring (April to June), further information available in the Ministry of Health’s fact sheet for Health Care Providers.

Vaccine Availability

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) expects to receive its initial shipments of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines from the Ontario Ministry of Health by the week of September 29^th.

• Initial vaccine allocations are for hospitals and long-term care homes (LTCHs), for the vaccination of hospital patients and staff, and LTCH residents, staff, and caregivers.
• The next allocations will be prioritized to retirement homes and other congregate living settings.
• Vaccine availability for community healthcare providers to vaccinate high-risk and priority populations will follow closely with supply available by mid-October for COVID-19 and influenza vaccines.
• While OPH does not supply vaccine to pharmacies, we have been informed that vaccine for high-risk and priority populations will also be available for pharmacies in mid-October.

Congregate settings and health care providers can begin vaccinating high-risk and priority groups as soon as they receive supply, understanding that they will not be able to reorder vaccines until after the initial supply has reached all settings and health care providers, and the provincial supply is replenished.

Starting mid-October OPH will begin offering COVID-19 and influenza vaccine to specific high-risk individuals through local community clinics and Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs. OPH clinics are for individuals facing significant barriers in accessing vaccines through pharmacies or healthcare providers such as children less than 5 years of age and newcomers without an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). Information will be updated as it becomes available at ottawapublichealth.ca/covid19vaccine.

Vaccine Ordering

• Influenza vaccine: OPH will forward one vaccine auto-shipment to your clinic, after which you will be able to order additional doses on our website the week of October 14th. Please note that the total number of doses allocated for each clinic’s auto-shipment is based on a percentage of last year’s orders and determined by the initial vaccine supply received from the province.
• COVID-19 vaccine: Vaccine orders can be placed on our website and will be filled as vaccine becomes available.
• Reminders for all vaccine orders:
• Please allow 5 business days for processing. This does not include vaccine delivery from your chosen delivery service.
• If you are using Self-pick up or On-Demand Courier, you will receive a phone call when your order is ready. Please arrange to pick up your vaccine order within 48hrs of notification and bring along a cooler and ice packs.
  • Vaccine Distribution Centre hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm. Questions and comments regarding your order may be directed to: vaccine@ottawa.ca

Timing of Immunization Clinics

Due to the possibility of unanticipated restrictions on the availability of publicly funded influenza vaccines and/or delays in vaccine delivery, it is recommended that clinicians do not book appointments prior to receiving vaccine.

Physicians and nurse practitioners wishing to conduct large-scale community vaccination clinics are recommended to wait until October 27th to ensure that an adequate supply of vaccine can be ordered based on the available provincial supply.

Influenza Vaccines

Transition to trivalent products:

For the 2025/2026 influenza season in Canada all available influenza vaccine products are trivalent (TIV) formulations. This change is in alignment with recommendations from the WHO and NACI, as there have been no confirmed naturally occurring B/Yamagata lineage virus detections since March 2020.

Publicly funded influenza vaccines 2025/2026

• All products are trivalent inactivated vaccines (TIV)
• Important notes: Fluzone® and Fluzone® High-Dose are different products. Fluzone® High-Dose is authorized ONLY for individuals aged 65 years and older. Please use caution when administering Fluzone® products.

• Older Adults:
  • The trivalent inactivated high-dose (TIV-HD) vaccine, Fluzone® High-Dose, and trivalent inactivated adjuvanted (TIV-adj) vaccine, Fluad® , should be offered, when available, over standard dose TIV influenza vaccines for adults ≥65 years of age. There is no preferential recommendation for the use of TIV-HD versus TIV-adj vaccine for this age group.
  • If these products are not available, do not delay vaccination. The most important thing is for older adults to be vaccinated. Any of the available age-appropriate influenza vaccines should be used.

COVID-19 Vaccines

Two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, Moderna Spikevax® and Pfizer Comirnaty ® mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are available in Ontario for the 2025/2026 program:

• Moderna Spikevax: for those ≥ 6 months of age
• Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty: for those ≥ 5 years of age

The updated COVID-19 vaccines target the LP.8.1 variant and are expected to offer additional protection against infection and severe COVID-19 disease. Either vaccine can be used to vaccinate eligible patients, unless there is a medical reason to avoid a specific product.

Note: Novavax Nuvaxovid (protein subunit COVID-19 vaccine) will not be available in Ontario for the 2025/2026 vaccine program. Individuals who are unable to receive an mRNA vaccine should speak with their health care provider about how to lower their risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and about treatment options, including the use of Paxlovid to reduce the duration and severity of illness in the event of COVID-19 disease.

COVID-19 immunization schedule:

Previously vaccinated individuals:

• Should receive a fall dose when eligible, with a minimal interval of 3 months from their previous dose.
• A minimum of 3 months from test-confirmed infection to COVID-19 vaccination may be considered, for those who have had a COVID-19 infection this season

Previously unvaccinated individuals

• LP 8.1 containing COVID-19 vaccine can be used to initiate the series
• Individuals previously infected with COVID-19 this season (test-confirmed):
  • Have not started or completed a primary series: give the next dose 8 weeks following the previous dose or test-confirmed infection for those who are not immunocompromised or 4 to 8 weeks for those who are immunocompromised.

Please refer to the Ministry of Health, Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Vaccine for detailed COVID-19 vaccine recommendations based on vaccine history and immune status of the individual.

Co-Administration

• All available influenza vaccines or COVID-19 vaccine (i.e., TIV-HD, TIV-adj, and TIV) may be given at the same time with other vaccines*, or at any time before or after, other vaccines, including RSV products for individuals 6 months and older.
• If given at the same time, separate limbs should be used if possible for the injections. Alternatively, the injections may be administered into the same muscle separated by at least 2.5 cm (1”). Different immunization equipment (needle and syringe) must be used for each vaccine.

*Note: For adults 65 years of age and older, there are no direct studies on the co-administration of Shingrix® with Fluad® (TIV-adj) or Fluzone® High-Dose (TIV-HD). With Fluad®, it is unknown how the adjuvants may interact when Shingrix® is co-administered.

Resources

Influenza

Ottawa Public Health Physicians and Health Care Professionals Influenza vaccine website

Ontario Ministry of Health Universal Influenza Immunization Program Page

Canadian Immunization Guide Chapter on Influenza and Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for 2025–2026

COVID-19

Ottawa Public Health Physicians and Health Care Professionals COVID-19 vaccine Website

Ontario Ministry of Health COVID-19 Vaccine Program Page

COVID-19 vaccines: Canadian Immunization Guide