COVID-19 Vaccine

People six months or older, at the time of their appointment, are currently eligible to receive a primary series.

A primary series for most healthy people is the first two doses of the vaccine given at two different times. Children six months to four years of age getting the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine require three doses to complete a primary series. The recommended spacing between doses is eight weeks (56 days).

People six months or older who have a weakened immune system (immunocompromised), because of a medical condition or medication they take, are eligible to receive a three dose primary series. A third dose is added to help improve protection in people who did not develop an optimal immune response after their first two COVID-19 vaccine doses. The recommended spacing between doses is eight weeks (56 days). In some cases, the number of days between doses may be shortened as advised by your health care provider or specialist.

Only people with certain medical conditions or who are on specific medications that weaken the immune system need a three dose primary series. Please see the Ministry of Health COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for more information.

People five years of age and older, at the time of their appointment, are eligible to receive a booster dose. A booster dose helps restore protection that may have decreased over time after receiving the primary series.

Booster eligibility for children five to 11 years of age

Children five to 11 years of age are recommended to receive a booster dose. Children must have turned five by the day they receive their vaccine. The booster dose is recommended 6 months (168 days) after the previous dose or COVID-19 infection. However, people may choose to receive a booster dose as early as three months (84 days) after their previous dose with informed consent. As per the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), more time between doses has shown to result in a better immune response and protection. Speak with your health care provider about what timing is best for you.

As per the NACI, only one booster dose is recommended after the primary series for children five to 11 years of age, at this time. Children who have already received a booster dose (including a monovalent booster) are expected to have good protection. However per NACI, children five to 11 years old at high risk of severe COVID-19 and who have previously received a booster dose with the monovalent COVID-19 vaccine could be offered a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster at the discretion of their health care provider.

Booster eligibility for people 12 years of age and older

People 12 years of age and older are recommended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster (monovalent or bivalent mRNA) dose on or after September 1, 2022. The booster dose is recommended 6 months (168 days) after the previous dose or COVID-19 infection.

People may choose to receive their booster dose as early as three months (84 days) after their previous dose with informed consent. As per the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), more time between doses has shown to result in a better immune response and protection. Speak with your health care provider about what timing is best for you.

As of March 3, 2023, NACI recommends an additional COVID-19 bivalent booster in the spring of 2023 for people who are at high-risk of becoming very sick from COVID-19. The Ministry of Health will be providing further recommendations based on this soon.

The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines remain the recommended vaccines because of the protection they provide and well-known safety profiles. The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine can be given to people 12 years of age and older older as part of their primary series and to people 18 years of age and older as a booster dose who:

• Are not able to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine due to a contraindication (for example, because of an allergy), or
• Who choose not to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Visit our frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination web page to learn more about the Novavax (Nuvaxovid) COVID-19 vaccine.

Booking an appointment

Novavax appointments can only be booked through the Ottawa Public Health booking page. Use this online form to register for Novavax COVID-19 vaccination.

For booking information at all other clinics, visit our Where to get vaccinated section.

People who have received one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not approved in Canada are eligible to receive a dose of a Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccine. People are also eligible to receive a booster dose 6 months (168 days) after their Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccine.

People who have received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not approved in Canada are eligible to receive a booster dose six months (168 days) after their last dose.

Booster doses can be given as early as three months (84 days) after the last dose with informed consent. As per the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, more time between doses has shown to result in a better immune response and protection. Speak with your health care provider about what timing is best for you.

For more information, visit our frequently asked questions on vaccines received outside of Canada, Ontario or Ottawa, or through a federal program.