COVID-19 Vaccine

An illustration of a speech bubble with the words FAQ COVID-19 vaccination. Safety, side effects, myths and more.

Last revised on June 18, 2021

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Who can currently get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Book a vaccine

First dose:

Second dose:

On June 17, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, or NACI, updated its recommendations for those who received AstraZeneca for their first dose. In this scenario, NACI states that a second dose with an mRNA vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer) is now preferred based on emerging evidence of a potentially better immune response from this mixed vaccine schedule and to mitigate the potential risk of rare, but severe blood clots associated with AstraZeneca.  Either Moderna or Pfizer are safe options for a second dose if you received AstraZeneca first.

For more information see June 18, 2021 – Special statement from Dr. Brent Moloughney.

Summary of National Advisory Committee on Immunization statement of June 17, 2021

The Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccines require two doses. All residents are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as they can, and to receive their second dose as soon as they are eligible to ensure maximum protection against COVID-19. 

Please note that the earliest date in most cases that you can receive your second dose is:

  • 21 days after your first dose if you received the Pfizer-BioNTech
  • 28 days after your first dose if you received the Moderna vaccine
  • 8-12 weeks after your first dose if you received the AstraZeneca vaccine

Who can currently reschedule their second dose appointment to an earlier date:

  • Individuals with the following conditions : 
    • Malignant hematologic disorders and non hematologic solid tumours receiving active treatment (letter from Champlain Regional Cancer Centre required)
    • Organ transplant recipients
    • Dialysis patients
    • Individuals who are taking an anti-CD20 agent (e.g., rituximab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab) 
  • Individuals who received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine 8-12 weeks ago
    • If they would like their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine they can contact the pharmacy or primary care provider where they received their first dose to book an appointment.
    • They can receive an mRNA vaccine for their second dose can register for a “second dose only” through the provincial booking system.
  • People 12 years of age who live in an eligible neighbourhood 
  • The following high-risk health care workers can complete this form weekly to sign up to receive end of day doses that are available at community clinics:
    • All patient-facing health care workers involved in the COVID-19 response
    • Medical first responders
    • Community health care workers serving specialized populations 
    • Individuals working in Community Health Centers serving disproportionally affected communities and/or communities experiencing highest burden of health, social and economic impacts from COVID-19
    • Home and community care health care workers, including nurses and personal support workers caring for recipients of chronic homecare and seniors in congregate living facilities or providing hands-on care to COVID-19 patients in the community
    • Long-term care home and retirement-home health care workers, including nurses and personal support workers and essential caregivers
  • Residents age 80 and above (born in 1941 or earlier) who do not have a second dose appointment booked
    • They will be contacted directly by Ottawa Public Health starting June 3 and continuing throughout the month of June. This will guarantee access to appointments within the standard second dose interval of 16 weeks. Adults age 80 and older may also book their second dose vaccine appointments through the provincial booking system. This applies to both those who booked their first doses through the provincial system and those who booked their first doses through Ottawa Public Health. Visit Ontario.ca/bookvaccine to access the provincial booking system or call the provincial vaccine booking line at 1-833-943-3900 between 8 am and 8 pm. For more information on second dose appointments please go to Ottawa.ca/news.

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Changing or cancelling a vaccine appointment

 If you scheduled an appointment through the provincial online vaccine booking system, you can reschedule or cancel:

You will need your:

  • health card (information on front and back)
  • postal code

If you booked your appointment with Ottawa Public Health, pharmacy or a hospital, please contact them directly to make any changes. Ottawa Public Health can be reached at 613-691-5505.

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Registering a vaccine received outside of Canada or Ontario

If you have received one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine outside of the Province of Ontario, you must provide your proof of immunization to Ottawa Public Health. Complete the COVID-19 Out of Province Dose Documentation form to notify Ottawa Public Health of your out of province dose administration, and upload the documentation you have received.

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Vaccine locations

Please make sure that you are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and make an appointment at a clinic that serves your category of eligible individuals. The vaccination clinics locations in Ottawa were selected with accessibility being the main consideration.

Pop-up clinics

Pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinics will accept residents from any of Ottawa’s priority neighbourhoods for first and second dose vaccination.

Expanding eligibility will raise vaccination rates in priority neighbourhoods and assist in removing some of the greatest barriers to accessing the vaccine. Residents from outside priority neighbourhoods will be directed to available appointments in the provincial vaccine booking system or at a participating pharmacy. 

Appointments:

These clinics are operated as a drop-in format. Appointment cards will be distributed on site on the day of the clinic, on a first come, first served basis.

Individuals served:

  • First doses are available for any priority neighbourhood resident aged 12+ at the time of vaccination.
  • Second doses will be available for any priority neighbourhood resident of any age who received their first dose on or before April 18, 2021. For residents aged 70+, they can receive a second dose 28 days after receiving an mRNA vaccine, and 56 days after receiving Astra-Zeneca vaccine.

Please enter your home address in the tool below and click search to determine if you are in an eligible neighbourhood.

Rural clinics:

Starting June 15, if you received your first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at a rural clinic and have not yet booked your second dose, you will receive a phone call from the City of Ottawa and Ottawa Public Health to book an appointment for your second dose at another rural pop-up clinic taking place between June 20 and 25. 

Appointments are required at these clinics; no walk ups will be accepted.

Individuals who received first doses at a rural clinic but have already made arrangements for a second dose on their own will not be contacted.

Rural clinics will take place at the following locations:

  • R.J. Kennedy Memorial Arena
  • West Carleton High School
  • South Carleton High School
  • Osgoode Township High School

Vaccination offered: 

  • Pfizer-BioNtech (age 12 or older) and/or Moderna (age 18 or older)

Please note:

  • You must be 12 or older on the day of your appointment to get the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine
  • You must be 18 or older on the day of your appointment to get the Moderna vaccine

Upcoming locations:

Wednesday, June 16 to Friday, June 18 – 11 am to 9 pm 

  • St. Joseph’s Adult High School, 330 Lajoie St. 

Saturday, June 19 and Sunday, June 20 – 9 am to 7 pm 

  • Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre, 102 Greenview Ave. 

Monday, June 21, 12:15 pm to 7 pm

  • AMA Community Centre – 1216 Hunt Club Rd.

Tuesday, June 22, 12:15 pm to 7 pm

  • St. Joseph’s Adult High School – 330 Lajoie St.

Wednesday, June 23 to Friday, June 25 , 12:15 pm to 7 pm

  • Bayshore Shopping Centre – 100 Bayshore Dr.
    North Entrance #2

Saturday, June 26 , 9:45 am to 4:30 pm

  • Howard Darwin Centennial (Merivale) Arena – 1765 Merivale Rd.

Sunday, June 27, 9:45 am to 4:30 pm and Monday, June 28 , 12:15 pm to 7 pm 

  • AMA Community Centre – 1216 Hunt Club Rd. 

List of eligible priority neighbourhoods:

  • West Centretown
  • Emerald Woods - Sawmill Creek
  • Greenboro East
  • Hunt Club Park
  • Hawthorne Meadows - Sheffield Glen
  • Ledbury - Heron Gate - Ridgemont
  • Riverview
  • Parkwood Hills - Stewart Farm
  • Lowertown East-ByWard Market
  • Sandy Hill
  • Vanier North
  • Vanier South
  • Manor Park
  • Overbrook - McArthur
  • Carson Grove - Carson Meadows
  • Carleton Heights - Rideauview
  • Carlington
  • Hunt Club East - Western Community
  • Whitehaven - Queensway Terrace North
  • Bayshore - Belltown
  • Britannia Village

Thanks to the Ottawa Health Team, Kids Come First Health Team and other local partners in the community for their support.

How to prepare for vaccination:

Community clinics

How to book appointment:

Individuals served:

  • People 12 years of age and older
    • You must be 12 years old or older on the day of your appointment to book online. If you are currently 11 years old but are turning 12 years old soon and would be that age on the day of your vaccination then call 1-833-943-3900 to book an appointment.

Vaccine offered: 

  • Pfizer-BioNtech (age 12 or older) and/or Moderna (age 18 or older)

Important: You may receive a different mRNA vaccine for your second dose depending on vaccine supply and availability. Interchanging mRNA vaccines is safe and effective and the priority is to receive two doses of a vaccine to complete the series and be fully protected.  

   

Please note:

  • You must be 12 or older on the day of your appointment to get the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine
  • You must be 18 or older on the day of your appointment to get the Moderna vaccine

Addresses:

Canadian Tire Centre - Gate 3

1000 Palladium Drive 

Canterbury Recreation Complex

2185 Arch St 

Eva James Memorial Centre

65 Stonehaven Drive

Horticulture Building 

1525 Princess Patricia Way

Nepean Sportsplex

1701 Woodroffe Avenue

Ottawa City Hall

110 Laurier Avenue West

Queensway Carleton Hospital

3045 Baseline Rd

Ruddy Family YMCA-YWCA

265 Centrum Blvd 

St-Laurent Complex

525 Côté Street

The Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus

1053 Carling Ave

University of Ottawa – Minto Sports Complex

801 King Edward Avenue 

Additional information:

When you book your appointments through the provincial booking system, you will receive a confirmation code. Please bring this code with you when you go to your appointments. If you do not have a confirmation code, your appointments were not successfully completed. Please revisit the provincial booking system or call 1-833-943-3900 to book your appointments and receive your confirmation code.

Timelines for opening all community clinics will depend on vaccine supply and the remaining community clinics will be opened as supply increases. Once fully operational, these community clinics will operate from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week and have the capacity to administer a total of nearly 11,000 immunizations per day.

How to prepare for vaccination:

How to cancel your appointment:

If your vaccine appointment was booked through the Province, you may cancel your appointment by following the steps outlined in the confirmation email you received at the time you made your appointment or use this link. Otherwise, you may do-so by calling 1-833-943-3900.

Bruyère vaccination clinic

The Bruyère vaccine clinic, in collaboration with Ottawa Public Health, has appointments available for residents of priority neighbourhoods and priority groups.

Appointments and individuals served: 

  • First and second dose appointments are available for those eligible.
  • People 12 years of age and older who live in an eligible neighbourhood.  Please visit Bruyere.org to verify eligibility and book your appointment. 

Vaccination offered: 

  • Pfizer-BioNtech (age 12 or older)
Please note:
  • You must be 12 or older on the day of your appointment to get the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine

How to prepare for vaccination:

First Nations, Inuit and Métis clinics

Individuals served:

  • First Nations, Inuit and Métis community members who are aged 12 and older are currently eligible for vaccination.

You will be asked to provide proof of Indigenous identity/status. Examples include:

  • Status Card
  • Inuit Beneficiary Card
  • Métis Card
  • 60s Scoop Acceptance Letter

Vaccination offered: 

  • Pfizer-BioNtech (age 12 or older)
Please note:
  • You must be 12 or older on the day of your appointment to get the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine

Addresses:

Rideau High School 

815 St. Laurent Boulevard

How to book a first dose appointment for First Nations, Inuit and Métis community members:

If you are age 12 or older and are First Nation, Inuit or Métis, or if you live with someone who is Indigenous AND if you have not yet had your first dose, you may call 613-691-5505 to book your first and second dose appointment at Rideau High School at 815 St. Laurent Boulevard.

Call 613-691-5505 to book an appointment

The phoneline will be open:

Monday to Friday             7:30 am to 6:00 pm

Saturday to Sunday         8:30 am to 4:00 pm

Booking first and second doses for Inuit:

Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team continues to provide vaccinations to Inuit community members at their clinic at 24 Selkirk Street. They are now offering first and second doses. Call 613-740-0999 to book your first or second dose.

Call 613-740-0999 to book an appointment

First Nations, Inuit and Métis Youth 12-15

First Nations, Inuit and Métis Youth 12-15 years old are eligible to receive their second dose of vaccine at a shortened interval of 28 days. To book a second dose, please call the OPH Booking Line at 613-691-5505.

Additional information: 

How do I rebook my second dose appointment?

The Province of Ontario announced that all First Nations, Inuit and Métis community members may get their second vaccine dose of COVID-19 vaccine sooner than 16 weeks. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) phoneline staff will call you to rebook your second dose appointment. They will start calling people on May 14, starting with those who got their first dose early on and will gradually work their way forward to those who got their first dose more recently. We are committed to reaching community members with second doses of the COVID vaccine as quickly and safely as possible. You may receive a text message or automated phone message from Ottawa Public Health with instructions or with details of your new appointment. NOTE: If you received your first vaccine dose prior to March 10, you may not be on the list for a phone call. If you received your first dose on or before March 10 and have not been called to book your second dose, please call the OPH phone line 613-691-5505.

Ottawa Public Health is partnering with Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health to provide a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for First Nation, Inuit and Métis community members.

Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team is providing vaccinations for Inuit.

How to prepare for vaccination:

How to cancel your appointment:

People who booked COVID-19 vaccine appointments with Ottawa Public Health by phone and who now wish to cancel can do so by calling 613-691-5505.

If vaccine appointments were booked through the Province, and if they have not yet received their first dose they may cancel their appointment by following the steps outlined in the confirmation email they received at the time they made their appointment. Otherwise, they may do-so by calling 1-833-943-3900. If appointments were booked through pharmacies or other health care providers, residents would need to cancel their appointment through them.

Vaccine in select pharmacies 

Looking for a second dose?

Individuals served:

  • People 12 years of age or older

Find a list of participating pharmacies online and contact the pharmacy for a vaccine.

Vaccination offered: 

  • Pfizer-BioNtech (age 12 or older) and/or Moderna (age 18 or older)
Please note:
  • You must be 12 or older on the day of your appointment to get the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine
  • You must be 18 or older on the day of your appointment to get the Moderna vaccine

Addresses:

Various locations

How to prepare for vaccination:

Additional information:

The Province of Ontario has announced that pharmacies in Ottawa will provide COVID-19 vaccinations to residents of Ottawa. Please see the Province of Ontario website for more information.

These vaccinations are separate from Ottawa Public Health and the City of Ottawa’s vaccination roll-out. Please call the participating pharmacies directly to book or call the Province of Ontario Vaccination Information Line at 1-888-999-6488 (TTY 1-866-797-0007) for more information.
Vaccination for people unable to leave their home because of a health condition or special needs
If I am unable to leave my home because of a health condition or special needs, can I receive my vaccine at home?
  • If you have a health condition or special needs that prevent you from visiting a local clinic, pharmacy, or your primary care provider to receive the COVID-19 vaccine - a team can come to your home to offer vaccination to you and to your caregiver.
  • Please call 613-691-5505 and choose option # 2, to request in-home vaccination.

  • A nurse will contact you to assess your eligibility and obtain more information to book a date and time.

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A graph diagram iconVisit our COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard for up-to-date information on COVID-19 vaccinations in Ottawa.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a viral infection that primarily affects the lungs. Some people may have a mild illness. Others may get very sick, including older adults or those with a pre-existing health condition. Very rarely, some children can get a serious inflammatory condition. The long-term effects of COVID-19 are not fully known. Some people are at greater risk of getting COVID-19 because of their work or living conditions. 

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Do the COVID-19 vaccines work? 

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Which vaccines are approved in Canada?

COVID-19 Vaccine  Age range  Type 

Doses*

Recommended Interval

(time between doses)*

Potential allergen **

% Effectiveness against:

1) symptomatic illness,

2) hospitalization/death after 1 dose (source: NACI)

Pfizer BioNTech

 12 years and older  mRNA 2 3 weeks polyethylene glycol (PEG)

1) 90-99%

2) 89%

Moderna

 18 years and older   mRNA 2  4 weeks

polyethylene glycol (PEG)

 

tromethamine
(trometamol or Tris)

1) 60-99%

2) 100%
AstraZeneca 40 years and older Viral-vector  2 4-12 weeks Polysorbate-80

1) 50-70%

2) 88%
 Janssen 18 years and older Viral-vector  1  N/A Polysorbate-80  

1) 55-75%

2) N/A

* Many COVID-19 vaccines require two doses. The time between doses varies depending on the vaccine you receive and can also depend on provincial and NACI guidance. Vaccine supply is currently limited. For this reason, NACI recommends that regions increase the number of people getting the first dose of vaccine. This can be done by increasing the interval between the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine, up to four months. 

** See specific vaccine details for additional non-medicinal ingredients 

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Have a question?

Read our frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination.

More information

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Individuals served: 

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