Frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination

If you have received one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine outside of the Province of Ontario, you may provide your proof of immunization to Ottawa Public Health to enter onto the online COVID-19 vaccine record system using this form.

Ottawa Public Health only processes records for the following vaccine doses:

• Child under 5: any doses received out of province.
• Persons 5 and older: only doses received out of province in the last 6 months.

If you have other out of province vaccine records that do not meet the above criteria, they should be kept in a safe place like other important documents.

This form is to be completed by City of Ottawa residents only.

If you live outside of Ottawa, but within Ontario, contact your local public health unit to submit proof of your out of province vaccination.

If you are visiting Ottawa, you do not need to complete this form. If you are visiting from outside of Canada, please consult the Government of Canada's entry requirements.

I received one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine through a Federal program while in the province of Ontario (for example military, global affairs or embassy vaccination clinic). How do I ensure my vaccination is recorded in Ontario?

What can I expect once I submit my proof of vaccination form?

You will receive an electronic vaccine receipt to the email provided on the electronic submission form once it is processed.

An Ottawa Public Health nurse will contact you if we have questions about your submission.

COVID-19 vaccination with an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (including booster doses) is strongly recommended during pregnancy. Getting vaccinated, as soon as possible, is the safest choice to protect yourself and your baby from the known risks of COVID-19 infection. Several studies have shown that receiving mRNA COVID-19 vaccines right before and/or at any stage of pregnancy has no impact on pregnancy outcomes.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends you get a complete series with an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine if you're pregnant or breastfeeding and stay up to date on booster doses.

Getting the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine helps prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and complications from COVID-19 infection.
Getting the vaccine helps prevent complications or bad outcomes for parent and baby. Most pregnant people who get COVID-19 will have mild symptoms. However, pregnant people are at an increased risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 including needing to be hospitalized and admitted to the intensive care unit compared to those who are not pregnant.
People who have a COVID-19 infection in pregnancy are also at increased risk of giving birth too early (preterm birth), having a caesarean delivery and having a baby admitted into a neonatal intensive care unit.

Pregnant and breastfeeding individuals who receive the mRNA (Comirnaty/Pfizer-BioNtech or Moderna) vaccines experience the same side effects of vaccination as non-pregnant individuals.
Common side effects after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine are pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain. This is caused by the immune system’s normal response to the vaccine. These side effects usually last a few days and go away on their own.
Looking for more information? See the:

• Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health’s information sheet

• Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada Statement on COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy

There is no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 vaccines have any effect on your fertility or chances of becoming pregnant. Fertility treatment is not a medical reason that prevents you from getting vaccinated. 

You never know how COVID-19 will affect your health after the acute illness has passed. Most people with COVID-19 get better in a few weeks. Some take longer to recover or have problems during recovery. 

Anyone can experience post-COVID-19 health conditions (also referred to as long COVID, long-haul COVID, post-acute COVID-19, long-term effects of COVID, or chronic COVID). This includes people who did not have symptoms while they had COVID-19. Every person is different. 

Preventing post-COVID conditions / ‘long-COVID’:  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to prevent post-COVID conditions is to protect yourself and others from being infected. For those who are eligible, getting vaccinated against COVID-19 can help prevent infection and protect against severe illness. The CDC also states that research shows those who are vaccinated and become infected with COVID-19 are less likely to report post-COVID conditions compared to those who are not vaccinated.

Symptoms of post-COVID-19 health conditions can be new or ongoing and last weeks or months following a COVID-19 infection. Some of these symptoms can include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Tiredness or fatigue
• Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”)
• Cough
• Chest or stomach pain
• Headache 

Post-COVID-19 health conditions appear to be less common in children and adolescents. Symptoms in children and adolescents are similar to those experienced by adults. 

The causes and treatments for each person who has longer-term health problems will be different. The long-term effects of COVID-19 infection are still being studied. Have a discussion with your health care provider about your personal situation if you are having problems during your recovery. 

For more information on post-COVID-19 health conditions, please visit:

• Post-COVID Conditions | CDC 
• Post-COVID-19 condition - Canada.ca

As per the Ministry of Health COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance, people with known allergies to components of the COVID-19 vaccine may speak with a physician or nurse practitioner to determine whether and how they should receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The physician or nurse practitioner can help create a vaccination care plan to ensure you receive the vaccine safely.

If you have a known severe allergic reaction to a component in one of either the Moderna Spikevax or Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNtech) vaccines and can’t interchange your subsequent dose, you will be able to receive the appropriate vaccine at one of our clinics.

Visit the Health Canada web page for a list of ingredients for the COVID-19 vaccines.

American Sign Language - What are the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines?

The most frequent side effects are injection site pain, fatigue and headache. Some people who got the vaccine in trials also reported muscle pain, chills, joint pain and fever. These symptoms were usually mild or moderate and went away within a few days. These are all expected reactions to vaccines because of the immune response. They are very similar to those reported following the seasonal influenza vaccination.

You can find more information on the side effects for each vaccine on the Health Canada website.

If someone experiences an adverse event following immunization, they should report it to a healthcare professional (e.g., family doctor).

An adverse event following immunization (AEFI) is an unwanted or unexpected health effect that happens after someone receives a vaccine, which may or may not be caused by the vaccine.

Public health surveillance of AEFIs is important for timely detection of rare vaccine safety issues. For more information visit the OPH page on AEFI reporting.

Expected side effects for each vaccine product are listed on the vaccine product monograph; common side effects could be found under ‘Side effects and risks’.

Healthcare professionals should complete the Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Form and send it to the local public health unit.

New Online Reporting Option for AEFIs

We are pleased to announce an online portal for submitting AEFI reporting securely in PDF format: https://secureforms.ottawapublichealth.ca/vaccines/AEFI-Submission-EN

This provides another option, in addition to reporting by fax to: 613-580-9660.

Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I recently got another vaccine or if I am due for another vaccine?

NACI recommends that COVID-19 vaccines may be given at the same time as, or before or after other vaccines for anyone 6 months of age or older. This includes live, non-live, adjuvanted, and non-adjuvanted vaccines. There are no specific safety concerns when routine vaccines are given at the same time or within days of each other. Please note that there could be stronger, temporary side effects when a COVID-19 vaccine and another vaccine are given at the same time or within days of each other.