How to get vaccinated:
Appointments are required and can be booked by visiting covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine or call 1-833-943-3900. No Walk-in's. Clinic times and appointments are limited.
On April 6, 2023, the Ministry of Health announced new COVID-19 booster recommendations for high-risk individuals this spring. Read the recommended eligibility and news release here.
Where to get vaccinated:
| SWPH Covid-19 Vaccine Clinics in St. Thomas & Elgin County | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SWPH Covid-19 Vaccine Clinics in Woodstock & Oxford County | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Accessible Entrance Map for 410 Buller Street
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Other location options offering vaccination |
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Primary Care Participating primary care providers will inform their patients directly if they offer vaccines.
Pharmacy We can confirm the following list of pharmacies has or is receiving shipments of vaccine. Please connect with your local pharmacy for the most up-to-date information.
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What vaccines/doses am I eligible for?
Find out if you are eligible for a booster dose by using this booster dose recommendation tool.
Youth vaccination
| Why vaccinate youth & children against COVID-19? |
| Although children and youth have been less likely to get seriously ill from a COVID-19 infection, they can still get sick from a COVID-19 infection, spread it to others, be infected without symptoms, and experience longer-term effects of an infection. Children and youth with some underlying medical conditions may also have a higher risk for severe illness from a COVID-19 infection.
Additional support: Video: Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, provides advice for families about the importance of vaccinating children, once eligible. (Source: CBC.ca, 2021) |
| COVID-19 vaccine research and safety for youth & children |
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All vaccines in Canada are heavily regulated by Health Canada. It is illegal to sell or market a vaccine in Canada that has not completed all required stages of research and safety trials. Visit Health Canada's website to learn more about how the vaccines are studied and tested for youth and children in Canada. For children under 12, Southwestern Public Health will require a parent or legal guardian to provide consent at the appointment. Additional resources:
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| How to talk to youth & children about COVID-19 vaccination |
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Children often look to trusted adults for cues that may help build confidence or reaffirm fears. Provide clear, calm language to children to reduce fears and anxiety. For example, if your child is afraid of the pain of a needle, avoid telling your child the needle won’t hurt. Instead, acknowledge that needles do hurt, even for adults, and that nurses have strategies to help make it hurt less. Here are helpful resources to help children and youth feel confident about their decision to be vaccinated.
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| Where to direct questions about COVID-19 vaccines for youth & children |
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Your child’s primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) is the best resource for answering questions about your child’s health. If you have general questions about COVID-19 vaccination for children, you can also call: SickKids Toronto Vaccine Consult Service VaxFacts from Scarborough Health Network |
What to expect before, during, and after your vaccination
Watch the below video with your child to prepare them for their visit to our vaccination clinics. Read on for more information about what to expect before, during and after your vaccination.
| Before your vaccination |
Familiarize yourself with the COVID-19 Vaccine Consent Form and follow our checklist:
Feeling nervous?If you are nervous about getting a COVID-19 vaccine or are afraid of needles, the CARD (Comfort, Ask, Relax, Distract) system may be able to help. Our team of professionals at the Immunization Clinics will do everything they can to help you have a comfortable experience. |
| During your vaccination visit |
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Here is what you can expect on the day of your vaccination, along with a few important things to remember:
Personal supportPlease bring a support person with you when you come for your vaccination if you require assistance related to any mobility, visual, hearing or cognitive concern. Your support person will be able to attend the visit with you, and they will need to pass a COVID-19 screening questionnaire when you arrive at the vaccination clinic. |
| After your vaccination |
Review the Ministry of Health's After Your COVID-19 Vaccine information sheetBe aware of common side effectsLike other vaccines or medications, the COVID-19 vaccine can cause side effects. Not everyone will experience these and most are minor or not long-lasting. Examples include:
Serious side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine are rare. If you experience a serious side effect after being vaccinated, seek medical attention right away. |
Commonly asked questions
| What vaccines are approved for use in Canada? |
COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in CanadaLearn about the approved COVID-19 vaccines from Health Canada, including how they work, how they are given, ingredients, allergies, possible side effects and more: |
| Where can I get the Novavax or Medicago vaccines? |
| Health Canada has approved both the Novavax Nuvaxovid and Medicago Covifenz COVID-19 vaccines. Southwestern Public Health does not have Medicago. However, if you are interested in Novavax, please call our colleagues at the Middlesex-London Health Unit (519-663-5317). |
| What is a bivalent vaccine? |
| Which vaccine brand will I get? |
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Southwestern Public Health vaccination clinics have both the Moderna and Pfiizer-BioNTech vaccines available for all eligible age groups, based on supply. The Ministry-led GOVAXX Bus clinics currently only offer Pfizer-BioNTech for ages 5 and older, and cannot service children younger than 5. |
| How do I get my vaccination receipt? |
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You may download a digital copy of your COVID-19 vaccination receipt online. You will need to enter your health card number and your postal code. English: Ontario.ca/VaccineReceipts French: Ontario.ca/RecusDeVaccin If there is an error on your vaccination receipt, or you are having trouble downloading your receipt because of a suspected error, please complete this online form and we'll correct the error in your receipt for you. If you have a red and white health card or no health card, call 1-833-943-3900. |
| How do mRNA vaccines like Pfizer or Moderna work? |
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mRNA vaccines use messenger RNA to teach the body’s cells how to make a protein which will cause your body to have an immune response and make antibodies. These antibodies then help fight an infection if the virus later enters the body. These vaccines do not use a live virus so they cannot give you COVID-19. Learn more about COVID-19 mRNA vaccines from Health Canada. |
| How do viral vector-based vaccines like Astra Zeneca or Janssen work? |
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Learn about COVID-19 viral vector-based vaccines from Health Canada. |
| Are COVID-19 vaccines safe? |
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Yes. Only vaccines that Health Canada determine to be safe and effective are approved for use in Canada and made available in Ontario. Learn more about vaccine safety:
Watch these videos to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine safety in Canada:
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| How were the COVID-19 vaccines approved so quickly? |
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COVID-19 vaccines go through the same review process that all vaccines go through to be authorized for use by Health Canada. Given the scale and urgency of the global pandemic, the Federal Government of Canada dedicated scientific, financial and human resources to complete the review process for COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible. Learn more about Vaccine Development and Approval in Canada from Health Canada. |
| Are "mixed' vaccines safe and effective? |
Receiving an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) after receiving AstraZeneca for your first doseIn the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) statement, NACI recommends that an mRNA vaccine is preferred as the second dose for people who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine. This is based upon studies that suggest a better immune response when the mRNA Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is provided as the second shot. Since the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are considered interchangeable, the second dose can also be of Moderna. Evidence continues to support this mixed vaccine schedule is safe. Receiving a different mRNA vaccine for your second or booster doseThe practice of mixing similar vaccines from different manufacturers for different doses (known as a heterologous vaccine schedule) is not new. It is used when vaccine supply or programs change, and is consistent with the guidance of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). Similar vaccines from different manufacturers are interchangeable when they:
Pfizer and Moderna vaccines meet all these criteria and are essentially the same vaccine, just produced by a different manufacturer. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that mixing mRNA COVID-19 vaccines will make them unsafe or less effective. Due to this, NACI has declared the two mRNA vaccines to be interchangeable. Results from ongoing studies, including Canadian data, is also closely monitored by NACI to ensure ongoing safety and to make any updated recommendations. Learn more |
| Should I still get a vaccine if I have had COVID-19? |
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Yes. People who have had COVID-19 infection should receive the recommended number of doses they are eligible for. However, they are recommended to wait 56 days after having COVID-19 to get the next dose in their primary series. Immunocompromised individuals should wait to receive the vaccine 28-56 days after having COVID-19. People who get COVID-19 after completing their primary series are recommended to wait 6 months (minimum 3 months) after having COVID-19 to get their booster dose(s). Optimal timing can be discussed with your health care provider and depends on age, number of doses received, risk of exposure, and health status. |
| Is vaccination safe for women who are trying to conceive, pregnant or breastfeeding? |
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Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre has created a great list of resources for women considering COVID-19 vaccine who are trying to conceive, pregnant or breastfeeding: https://sunnybrook.ca/content/?page=pregnancy-breastfeeding-fertility-covid-19-vaccine Other organizations have also released information that might interest you: |
| How do I register my out of province or out of country COVID-19 vaccine? |
| Many people across the region received one or both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States or another country. If this applies to you, please register your vaccine here in Ontario. You can start by completing this form.
*Please note, this form is ONLY for residents of Elgin County, Oxford County and the City of St. Thomas.* |