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Ontario's COVID-19 Vaccination Program
General Information
- One of the best ways to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency department visits is by staying up to date on available vaccinations for preventing respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.
- Updated COVID-19 vaccine is now available in Ontario and initial doses are available to protect people who are at higher-risk.
- The updated COVID-19 vaccine will be available for all eligible individuals 6 months of age and older in Ontario at no cost, starting October 28, 2024, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, even if you do not have an Ontario health card.
- Pharmacies and health care providers across our region are offering updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
- See the Ontario Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program website for full details.
- Get Your COVID-19 Vaccine Receipt or Register Your Out of Province Vaccine.
COVID-19 Vaccine Program Update - Spring 2025
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has released updated Spring 2025 guidance for the COVID-19 vaccine program. In alignment with the recent release of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI),Guidance on the use of COVID-19 vaccines for 2025 to summer 2026 the MOH direction for implementation will be an annual COVID-19 vaccine program based on provincial epidemiology:
- In fall 2024, unimmunized individuals or those that did not complete their primary series should have finished their primary series. All other individuals should have received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
- In spring 2025, previously immunized high-risk populations who have completed their primary series should receive an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
- Individuals who are not high-risk are not recommended to receive dose(s) in the spring regardless of if dose(s) were received in the fall. These individuals are recommended to be vaccinated during the next annual COVID-19 vaccine program (i.e., 2025/2026) to ensure optimal protection against circulating strains.
Who is Eligible
Updated COVID-19 vaccine is now available in Ontario and is being prioritized for the following high-risk and priority populations:
An additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine is recommended, for previously vaccinated individuals who have completed their primary series and are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection including:
- Adults 65 years of age and older.
NACI recommends that those 80 years and older should receive an additional dose of vaccine while those 65 to 79 years of age may receive an additional dose of vaccine. - Adult residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings for seniors.
- Individuals 6 months of age and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised (due to an underlying condition or treatment).
- Individuals 55 years and older who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Metis and their non-Indigenous household members who are 55 years and older.
Moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals
As indicated by NACI, the following individuals are moderately to severely immunocompromised and are recommended to receive an additional dose(s):
- Solid tumour or hematologic malignancies or treatments for these conditions.
- Solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy.
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy).
- Immunocompromised due to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy targeting lymphocytes.
- Moderate to severe primary immunodeficiency with associated humoral and/or cell-mediated immunodeficiency or immune dysregulation.
- HIV with AIDS-defining illness or TB diagnosis in last 12 months before starting vaccine series, or severe immune compromise with CD4 <200 cells/μL or CD4<15%, or without HIV viral suppression.
- Recent treatment with the following categories of immunosuppressive therapies: anti-B cell therapies (monoclonal antibodies targeting CD19, CD20 and CD22), high-dose systemic corticosteroids, alkylating agents, antimetabolites, or tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors and other biologic agents that are significantly immunosuppressive.
- Chronic kidney disease on dialysis.
Where to get Vaccinated
COVID-19 vaccine is currently available for the above listed populations.
Public Health Clinics
At this time, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is focused on providing COVID-19 vaccine to high-risk and priority populations who have limited vaccine access options. Please call 519-258-2146 ext. 1121 to book an appointment.
Pharmacies
Participating pharmacies are administering updated COVID-19 vaccines. Contact a participating pharmacy near you to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
Health Care Providers
Contact your health care provider to confirm they are administering COVID-19 vaccines. Please note that your health care provider may not be directly administering COVID-19 vaccines; however, the vaccine may be available through a partnering health care provider.
Language Services
Interpretation services are available at public health clinics in ALL languages.
For community supports for language and interpretation, call 2-1-1.