COVID-19 Vaccine

Individuals 6 months and older can receive their fall COVID-19 vaccine dose(s) until March 31st, after this date only High-Risk Populations Group 1 are eligible for an additional dose in Spring 2026 (April-June). Individuals not belonging to the High-Risk Populations Group 1 are not eligible to receive dose(s) in the spring, even if they did not receive a dose in Fall 2025. Those not eligible for a spring dose are recommended to be vaccinated during the next annual COVID-19 vaccine program (i.e., 2026/2027) to ensure optimal protection against circulating strains at that time.

High-risk Populations Group 1

The following individuals are at increased risk of COVID-19 disease and should receive their COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it becomes available in the fall AND should receive an additional dose in the spring:

• Adults 80 years and older;
• 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); and
• Individuals 55 years and older who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Metis and their non-Indigenous household members who are 55 years and older.

Adults aged 65 to 79 years should receive COVID-19 vaccine dose(s) as soon as it becomes available in the fall AND may receive an additional dose in the spring since certain individuals in this age group are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease and would benefit from doses in the fall and spring.

Important: Ottawa Public Health (OPH) immunization service criteria have evolved in recent years. OPH clinics are for children under 5 (and their household members) and newcomers without OHIP who are not serviced by pharmacies or have limited access to primary care. For the majority of the population, pharmacy or your primary care provider are the main providers of these vaccines.

Individuals 6 months and older can receive their fall COVID-19 vaccine dose(s) until March 31st, after this date only High-Risk Populations Group 1 are eligible for an additional dose in Spring 2026 (April-June). Individuals not belonging to the High-Risk Populations Group 1 are not eligible to receive dose(s) in the spring, even if they did not receive a dose in Fall 2025. Those not eligible for a spring dose are recommended to be vaccinated during the next annual COVID-19 vaccine program (i.e., 2026/2027) to ensure optimal protection against circulating strains at that time.

Pharmacies

• Pharmacies are the primary way that residents in Ottawa and throughout Ontario access the COVID-19 vaccine. It is recommended that all residents reach out to their local pharmacy to get their vaccine this fall. Please contact your local pharmacy, prior to visiting, to check vaccine availability.

• Visit the Ministry of Health COVID-19 Pharmacy Vaccine Locator to find a pharmacy near you.

Participating community health care providers

• Some primary care providers offer COVID-19 vaccines, check with your regular health care provider to see if they offer the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs

Ottawa Public Health offers flu vaccination to eligible clients facing significant barriers to accessing the immunization in the community which are children aged 6 months to under 5 years of age (including their immediate family and household members), and newcomers without OHIP. As of March 11th, COVID-19 vaccine will be available by request for these clients in our clinics. Call our Contact Centre at 613-580-6744 for more information, prior to visiting a hub location.

Visit the Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs page for information on hub locations, and hours.  

Ottawa Public Health Community Vaccination Clinics

Ottawa Public Health Clinics offers COVID-19 vaccines to the following clients facing significant barriers to accessing the COVID-19 vaccine in the community, who also meet the current publicly-funded eligibility:

• Children aged 6 months to under 5 years of age (and their immediate family and household members);
• Newcomers without OHIP;

• Clients 5 years and older with medical or disability related needs who cannot be seen by a pharmacist or family doctor and require accommodation to make the experience possible and positive (e.g. Extra time with a nurse, a quieter or private space)

As of March 11, COVID-19 vaccine will be available by request at our clinics, please call our Contact Centre at 613‑580‑6744 for more information 

For the 2025/2026 COVID-19 vaccine program updated mRNA vaccines (Moderna Spikevax and Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty) will be available in Ontario. These vaccines are designed to protect against the LP.8.1 variant. These vaccines are recommended for all eligible age groups and are considered equivalent in terms of protection.

• Children 6 months to 4 years of age may receive the Moderna Spikevax vaccine.
• Children 5 to 11 years may receive either Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech, depending on availability.
• Individuals 12 years and older may receive either Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech, depending on availability.

It is important to get your annual COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to you. Any of the available COVID-19 vaccines would be preferable to remaining unvaccinated. All COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and offer strong protection.

Novavax vaccine

The Novavax (Nuvaxovid) protein subunit vaccine will not be available in Ontario for the 2025/2026 program. Individuals who are unable to receive an mRNA vaccine should speak with their primary 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.

Can I get vaccinated for COVID-19 even if I have had COVID-19 this season?

If you, or a loved one, gets COVID-19 this season (had a positive test), here's when they should get their next vaccine:

• If they have never had any doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, or haven’t finished their first set of doses:
• Wait 8 weeks after testing positive before getting the next dose.
• If their immune system is weaker (immunocompromised), they can get the next dose after 4 to 8 weeks.
• If they haven’t had any doses and didn’t test positive, they can get a dose right away.
• If they have had a COVID-19 vaccine before and then tested positive:
• They can consider waiting 3 months after testing positive before getting another dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
  

Please note: Publicly funded COVID-19 testing is limited to individuals who are eligible for antiviral treatment or those who are living in congregate living settings.