---

Please scroll down the page to review the latest eligibility requirements, and minimum/recommended time intervals between doses, or after having a COVID-19 infection, before booking an appointment.

Please note: Flu Vaccine is in limited supply. We will make every effort to accommodate your request.

Click here to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment

During the fall and winter season, respiratory illnesses (such as flu, RSV and COVID-19) are expected to spread in our community as the weather gets colder and people spend more time indoors.

It is important for everyone to stay up-to-date with their vaccinations for the best protection from severe illness or hospitalization, especially those with weaker immune systems. The updated COVID-19 vaccine targets the XBB strain of the Omicron variant to boost protection against severe COVID-19 and may be better against currently circulating variants.

Everyone six months and older are considered up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines when they get the fall 2023 COVID-19 dose(s).

• Everyone 5 years and older can receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine six months after their last COVID-19 dose or infection
• Children 6 months to 4 years of age:
  • who have completed their COVID-19 vaccination (primary) series, can get an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose 6 months after their COVID-19 last dose or infection;
  • who have not completed or started their COVID-19 vaccination (primary) series, can get their doses at 8 weeks apart

The COVID-19 vaccine is safe to get at the same time as most other vaccines (except for the RSV and MPOX vaccines).

Following Ministry of Health guidance, initial doses of the flu and updated COVID-19 vaccines will be prioritized for hospital patients and staff; long-term care and elder care lodge residents, staff and caregivers; then to people at high-risk of severe illness and hospitalization due to flu and/or COVID-19 infections and those over the age of 65. On October 30, these vaccines will be made available to everyone 6 months of age and older.

It is recommended to talk with your health care provider before getting vaccinated to review the benefits and risks for your unique situation, if you:

• are on medications that weaken your immune system – you may want to time your vaccination with your medications
• had an allergic reaction within four hours after receiving your first COVID-19 vaccine dose
• have severe allergies to any of the vaccine ingredients

Previously Unvaccinated Individuals: 

• Individuals aged 6 months to under 5 years
  • 1^st Dose
  • 2^nd dose, 8 weeks after 1^st dose
• Individuals aged 5+
  • 1st Dose

Flu Vaccine Now Available! Only eligible for those receiving a covid vaccine at time of appointment. 

Eligibility will be checked during the booking process and on your appointment day. Those who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

Vaccine Eligibility and Recommendations for Staying Up To Date with your COVID-19 Vaccine

There is good evidence that longer intervals between the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines result in more robust and durable immune response and higher vaccine effectiveness and may be associated with a lower risk of myocarditis and/or pericarditis in adolescents and young adults.

Children Aged 6 Months to 4 Years Old

Everyone aged 6 months and older is eligible to start a vaccination (primary) series with the updated COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. The Ontario Ministry of Health recommends the following:

• Six months to four year olds get:
  • Two doses of the updated Moderna vaccine at least eight weeks apart OR
  • Three doses of the updated Pfizer vaccine (3 mcg) at least eight weeks apart
  • To further improve protection and effectiveness of the vaccine, NACI and the Ontario Ministry of Health recommends eight weeks as the best interval between doses  in the primary series. Evidence will continue to be monitored and information will be updated as needed.

Children 6 months to 4 years of age who have completed their COVID-19 vaccination (primary) series can receive an updated COVID-19 XBB1.5 vaccine at least 6 months since their last dose or infection.

If someone other than a parent/legal guardian will be bringing a child for their COVID-19 vaccine (e.g. grandparent, uncle, older sibling, etc.) a parent/legal guardian MUST complete this COVID-19 Vaccine Children/Youth (Age 5-17) Consent Form and send a signed copy with the child to the clinic. If you are unable to print a copy of the consent form please call 519-427-5903.

Individuals Ages 5 and Older

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and the Ontario Ministry of Health recommends all eligible people get a dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available to you this fall 2023. It is especially important for people who are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection or hospitalization to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

People at high-risk for flu and/or COVID-19 complications or hospitalization are:

• Residents and staff of congregate living settings (e.g., chronic care facilities, retirement homes)
• Pregnant people
• Seniors 65 years of age and older
• All children six months to four years of age
• First Nation, Inuit or Métis (FNIM) community, and/or who self-identify as FNIM, and their household members
• People six months of age and older with underlying health conditions 
• Members of racialized and other equity deserving communities
• Health care workers and first responders

According to NACI, the updated COVID-19 vaccine may be used to complete your vaccine series or as a booster. COVID-19 vaccines are interchangeable which means that they are very similar and either vaccine can be used. You can get the updated COVID-19 vaccine, once eligible:

• Five years of age and older and it has been six months since your last COVID-19 vaccine dose or known infection (whichever one is later)
• Children six months to four years of age:
  • who completed their COVID-19 vaccination (primary) series and it has been six months since their last COVID-19 dose or infection;
  • who have not completed their COVID-19 vaccination (primary) series, can get their doses eight weeks apart

People who are Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised 

People with weakened immune systems and who are considered moderately to severely immunocompromised  the following recommendations apply for this fall 2023:

Vaccinated in the past:

• Get a dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine if it has been six months since your previous COVID-19 dose or infection (which ever is later).
• A shorter interval (three to six months) may be considered based on age and risk. Talk to your health care provider about the best option for you.

Not vaccinated in the past:

• Six months to four years old – get two doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccine; eight weeks apart
• Five years and older – get one dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine

It is important to speak with your doctor or specialist about the timing for you to have the best possible immune response from the vaccine and minimize delays in your treatment. Let your health care provider giving you the vaccination know that you are immunocompromised.

People who are Post Transplant Patients

Re-vaccination is recommended  with a new COVID-19 vaccine series given the loss of immunity following:

• hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT)
• hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) (autologous or allogeneic)
• CAR-T-cell therapy

Timing should be determined on a case-by-case basis in consultation with your clinical team:

• Six months to four years old should get either two doses of the COVID-19 Moderna XBB vaccine or three doses of COVID-19 Pfizer XBB vaccine; eight weeks apart
• Five years and older should get one dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine

You may bring a letter to your vaccination appointments, highlighting the optimal timing to restart your COVID-19 vaccine series.

People who are have recieve non-Health Canada approved doses

People who received only one or two doses of a non-Health Canada (HC) authorized COVID-19 vaccine may receive one additional dose in Ontario at least 28 days after the previous dose to complete the primary series.

People who received one HC authorized vaccine and one non-HC authorized vaccine (in either order) need no additional doses to complete the primary series.

People who received three doses (any combination of HC authorized, and non-HC authorized) need no additional doses to complete the primary series.

Following any additional doses needed to complete the primary series, these individuals should follow the relevant age-based booster dose recommendations to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

Ensure you bring your Ontario health card or another form of photo government ID with you to your appointment

If you are having trouble booking an appointment, you can call the Haldimand-Norfolk COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 519-427-5903.

If there are no local clinics that work for your schedule, please visit the provincial online booking system, ontario.ca/bookvaccine, or call the provincial Vaccine Booking Line at 1-833-943-3900 to find available appointments in neighbouring counties. Residents can also lookup nearby participating pharmacies using the province’s lookup tool: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations

Receiving Confirmation of your Appointment

After you select a clinic location, date, and appointment time on the next step of this booking tool, you should receive an email confirmation of your appointment. If you do not receive an email confirmation, please check your spam or junk folders.

Even if you do not receive an email confirmation, once you select a clinic location, date, and time and a confirmation message pops up then your appointment is booked. Please write down the location, date, and time. Do not book multiple appointments.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please use the link in the confirmation email.

Still have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for children?

• Book a consultation with a SickKids Pediatric Registered Nurse
• COVID-19 Vaccine Information Sheet For Children (age 5-11)
• Vaccines for children: COVID-19
• COVID-19 vaccine Information for children and caregivers