COVID-19 vaccines are safe.

  • Vaccinated people are less likely to get seriously sick with COVID-19 and are less likely to spread the virus to others.
  • Vaccinating as many people as possible is important to reduce the impact of COVID-19.
  • When more people are vaccinated, it is harder for the virus to spread, and for new variants to emerge. When this happens, we can do what we love safely. That’s a win!

Boosters give you stronger protection.

  • Vaccine immunity can wane (decrease) over time. Getting a booster dose is the best way to restore and maintain protection against COVID-19 infection and to help reduce the risk of severe illness, complications, or death due to COVID-19. This is especially important when COVID-19 activity is high in the community. We encourage everyone to stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccine, that means receiving all the doses you are eligible/recommended to receive, including your boosters.
  • As of October 17, 2022, all Ontarians aged 12 years and older are eligible for a bivalent COVID-19 booster dose.
  • Individuals can receive the bivalent booster at the recommended interval of at least six months from their previous dose, regardless of how many boosters they have already received.
  • Individuals may choose to receive a booster dose as early as three months (84 days) after their previous dose with informed consent.

It is safe and effective to receive a “mixed-vaccine” series.

  • Mixing COVID-19 vaccines is safe, effective, and enables everyone to benefit from the protection of a booster dose.
  • Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are both mRNA vaccines that protect against COVID-19 infection. They produce a very similar immune response and potential side effects (how your body reacts).
  • Using one vaccine in place of another similar vaccine from a different manufacturer is not new. This is often done with vaccines like the flu vaccine or Hepatitis A.
  • Both the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines provide strong protection against COVID-19 and its variants.
  • The only exception to this is with pediatric vaccines, which needs to remain the same (either Pfizer or Moderna) throughout the primary series.

COVID-19 vaccines do not have a negative impact on pregnancy or fertility.

How long should I wait to get my booster dose if I had a COVID-19 infection?

  • The recommendation is that you wait three months (84 days) after testing positive for COVID-19, or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. For youth ages 12 to 17, it’s recommended you wait at least 184 days.
  • The research shows that a longer interval between a COVID-19 infection and vaccination improves your antibody response to the vaccine. However, after a COVID-19 infection and with informed consent, you may receive your booster earlier than three months (84 days).
  • Please do not attend a clinic until after symptoms have resolved and you have completed your isolation period as per current public health guidelines.

Information provided by Ottawa Public Health

Scroll to top
Skip to content