Health Care Professional Respiratory Immunization Tool Kit

• Any clinics that receive immunization supply from the publicly-funded program are eligible to receive respiratory vaccines. Please note that for COVID-19 vaccines however, facilities must be onboarded and utilizing Panorama Guided Workflow (PGW). If your organization has not been onboarded with PGW, you will not be able to order COVID-19 vaccines from OPH.
• To administer publicly funded vaccines, a designated vaccine fridge must meet the MOH Vaccine Storage and Handling Guide and have passed a fridge inspection with Ottawa Public Health; with a fridge in good standing (monthly temperature log submission required).
• If your facility received a pass on the current year’s vaccine fridge inspection, please continue with the onboarding process in step 2. If your facility has not yet completed an inspection, please contact Ottawa Public Health’s Vaccine Distribution Centre at vaccine@ottawa.ca to request a vaccine fridge inspection.

For healthcare agencies and/or pharmacies:

• Application is required to the Ministry of Health’s Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP). Please visit the Ontario Ministry of Health Website for more information on this process. If you need support with the process, please email UIIP.MOH@ontario.ca. The application process opens in the Spring.

Retirement Homes:

• If an organization already receives publicly funded vaccine(s) they do not need to apply to the Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP).

Long-Term Care Homes:

• Long-Term Care Homes do not need to apply to participate in the Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP).

Complete ONE ID and Panorama Guided Workflow (PGW) Onboarding, Training and Support, completed through the Ministry of Health

• Organizations wanting to begin administration of COVID-19 vaccines should contact PanoramaGuidedWorkflow@ontario.ca for onboarding information and support.

Directives and direct orders allow nursing staff to perform the controlled act of immunization.

Medical Directive Templates: If an authorizing health professional would like a template to assist them in the creation of their own medical directive, please email your request to immunization@ottawa.ca.

Health care professionals who are interested in receiving copies of Ottawa Public Health’s immunization competency modules can email immunization@ottawa.ca to request the following modules:

• Module 1 Consent and Documentation
• Module 2 Vaccine Storage, Handling and Giving
• Module 3 Vaccination Emergencies

Learning Resources 

Management of Adverse Events:

• Management of Anaphylaxis Following Immunization in the Community, Public Health Ontario Anaphylaxis and other Acute Reactions following Vaccination: Canadian Immunization Guide

Vaccine Administration Practices:Canadian Immunization Guide 

The Education Program for Immunization Competencies (EPIC): Canadian Paediatric Society 

Vaccine Product Monographs: Drug Product Database: Access the database - Canada.ca

COVID-19 vaccine products:

Ontario Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine Health Care Provider Factsheet includes useful guidance for health care professionals on the administration of COVID-19 vaccines, including information on eligibility and summaries of vaccine product formulations.

• Health Canada Resources 
  • Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccines
  • Pfizer BioNTech Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccines

COVID-19 Immunization Provider Support Line (CIPSL) 

• Temporary support line for healthcare providers (HCP) during the Spring COVID-19 immunization campaign, including guidance on minimum dose intervals when prior dates are unknown
• Available Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM at 416-849-9998 or toll-free at 1-888-333-0640
• The CIPSL is for HCPs ONLY and not for the general public. HCP will be required to provide their professional registration number

For PGW technical and ONE ID support:

Ontario Health Service Desk: 1-866-250-1554​ or email: oh-servicedesk@ontariohealth.ca

Note: When reporting an issue, never send personal health information, always refer to the client using their Client ID.

Ottawa Public Health has compiled the following documents to assist you in hosting a clinic. Please feel free to utilize these documents to support the organization of immunization services.

• Ottawa Public Health’s Hand Hygiene poster
• Creating clinic posters and directional signage may be helpful for patients, caregivers and families to access your clinic.
• Utilize your established consent processes for vaccine administration.
  • Flu Consent Form Sample
  • RSV Consent Form Sample

• Have consent forms (if using) available and completed by resident or power of attorney (if applicable) prior to administration.  
• Record immunizations given for COVID-19 in PGW. 
• Influenza and RSV can be documented as per your facility's policy. 

The list of approved vaccines can be found in the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine website, and Ottawa Public Health will fulfill vaccine orders based on current availability of vaccines. We will reach out if changes need to be made to your order. 

Refer to Ontario’s website on COVID-19 vaccines for the latest guidelines.

OPH is shifting back to pre-pandemic operations and staffing capacity based on provincial direction and does not have the capacity to provide in-person immunization support. Many organizations were onboarded over the last few years with OPH support, and we hope your organization continues to build on this experience and knowledge transfer. 

OPH will continue to ensure access to vaccine supply and up-to-date COVID-19 & influenza immunization information to health care providers. Our goal is to help you to build and maintain capacity to deliver immunizations directly or in collaboration with community partners.

You are encouraged to create an internal policy for vaccine transport to comply with requirements in the following guidance:

• COVID-19: General COVID-19: Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidance (gov.on.ca)
• Influenza and RSV: Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines (gov.on.ca)

• The Ontario Medical Association has outlined resources pertaining to OHIP billing and members can also check the OMA portal for updates.
• The Universal Influenza Immunization Program has details on reimbursement for vaccine administration fee for service providers (OHIP), injection-trained professionals (HNS), health care agency-administered doses in pharmacies, and community clinics.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care also publishes OHIP bulletins to update on billing concerns, which include COVID-19. Questions regarding submission of billing codes can be directed to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s Service Support Contact Centre at SSContactCentre.MOH@ontario.ca

Vaccines are available for order at your convenience. Please visit our ordering page for information: Immunization related forms for health professionals - Ottawa Public Health

Please see current processing times on our website to plan accordingly. 

Please see the Ontario Ministry of Health’s COVID-19: General COVID-19: Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidance for information related to the COVID-19 vaccines.
Please see the Ontario Ministry of Health’s Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines for information related to Influenza and RSV vaccines.

If an individual’s personal circumstances (e.g., health conditions, travel, employment requirements, participation in a clinical trial) warrants the need for medical documentation indicating vaccination exemption, the individual should follow-up with their healthcare provider, occupational health department or clinical trial principal investigator to request the necessary documentation.

Seek immunization from residents’ regular health care provider.

Contact local pharmacies to inquire if they can provide immunizations to your residents, whether in the pharmacy or they may offer the option of hosting a clinic in your residence.

Visit the ministry website for a full list of pharmacies offering COVID-19.

Consider organizing a clinic with available nursing agencies:

• GEM Health Care Services
• Lifemark Workplace Health and Wellness
• ParaMed Inc.
• Access Healthcare Services Inc.