2026–2027 Respiratory Season Immunization Information for Health Care Professionals

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
• Residents, staff and care providers in long-term care homes and other congregate living settings
• Individuals 6 months of age and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised (due to specific underlying condition or treatment)
• 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:

o   Cardiac or pulmonary disorders

o   Cerebrovascular disease

o   Diabetes mellitus or other metabolic disease

o   Cancer

o   Chronic liver disease

o   Conditions or medication which compromise the immune system

o   Renal disease

o   Anemia or hemoglobinopathy

o   Neurologic or neurodevelopment conditions

o   Class 3 obesity (body mass index of 40 or more)

o   Children and adolescents (6 months to 18 years) undergoing treatment with acetylsalicylic acid for long periods

·       Individuals from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, and their non-indigenous household members 

• 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: Refer to the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Fact Sheet for Health Care Providers  for full list of eligible underlying medical conditions, specific eligibility criteria, vaccine intervals, as well as populations eligible for a spring COVID-19 vaccine dose

Those not eligible as part of high-risk and priority population groups will be eligible for influenza and COVID-19 vaccination starting October 26, 2026. 

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) expects to receive its initial shipments of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines from the Ontario Ministry of Health by the week of September 28^th. As such we will work diligently to distribute as soon as possible to providers for administration to high-risk and priority populations.

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.

Further supply will be prioritized to retirement homes and other congregate living settings.  Vaccine availability for community health care providers to vaccinate high-risk and priority populations is expected by early to mid-October for both COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. Pharmacies will receive their vaccine shipments through their provincial distributor. Vaccine availability in pharmacies for high-risk and priority populations is expected to closely align with product availability anticipated by 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 October 19^th, 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 OHIP. Information will be updated as it becomes available on our website.

• 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 health professionals do not book appointments prior to receiving vaccine. 
• Health professionals wishing to conduct large-scale community vaccination clinics are asked to wait until October 26th  to ensure that an adequate supply of vaccine can be ordered based on the available provincial supply.

·       All available influenza vaccines or COVID-19 vaccine 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.

Publicly funded influenza vaccines 2026/2027

All products are trivalent inactivated vaccines (TIV) and contain inactivated strains of influenza A (H3N2 and H1N1) and influenza B (Victoria strain), as recommended by the WHO for the Northern hemisphere for the 2026/2027 season.

Important notes: Fluzone® and Fluzone® High-Dose are different products. Fluzone® High-Dose is authorized ONLY for individuals aged 65 years and older.

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.

• Memo form the Ministry: COVID-19 Vaccine Program and Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP) – 2026/2027
• Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: UIIP 6 months – 64 years
• Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: UIIP 65+ years
• Ottawa Public Health's Influenza for Health Care Professionals
• Ontario Ministry of Health Universal Influenza Immunization Program Page

Two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, Moderna Spikevax® and Pfizer Comirnaty ® mRNA and one protein subunit COVID-19 vaccine (Nuvaxovid) are available in Ontario for the 2026/2027 program:

• Moderna Spikevax: for those ≥ 6 months of age
• Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty: for those ≥ 12 years of age
• Nuvaxovid: for those ≥ 12 years of age

The updated COVID-19 vaccines target the XFG variant and are expected to offer additional protection against infection and severe COVID-19 disease. Not all vaccine brands and/or formats will be available at all times or at all locations. All publicly funded COVID-19 vaccines are equivalent and provide the same protection against COVID-19 disease. Health care providers should use the vaccine (according to the products’ age indications) that is available unless the patient has a contraindication toward a specific vaccine.

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.
• Previously unvaccinated individuals:
  • XFG containing COVID-19 vaccine can be used to initiate the series

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.

• Memo from Ministry of Health: COVID-19 Vaccine Program and Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP) – 2026/2027
•  Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: COVID-19
•  Ottawa Public Health's COVID-19 for Health Care Professionals
• Ontario Ministry of Health COVID-19 Vaccine Program Page