Time to book your COVID-19 Booster Dose
I am writing to you as your Chief Medical Officer of Health to strongly recommend that you get your COVID-19 booster dose as soon as possible, as an individual at higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness due to your age.
The bivalent booster currently available in Ontario better protects against the circulating COVID-19 variants and can help restore protection that may have decreased since your last dose. This will help ensure you have the best protection as the cold weather sets in and you spend more time indoors. Please note that if you have had COVID-19 recently, you should wait until three months after symptom onset or a positive COVID-19 test before getting a booster dose.
You can book your booster dose through:
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· the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 (TTY for people who are deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired: 1-866-797-0007), for appointments that are three months or more since your last dose · the COVID-19 vaccination portal at https://www.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/, for appointments that are six months or more since your last dose · public health units using their own booking system https://www.phdapps.health.gov.on.ca/phulocator/ · participating primary care providers · participating pharmacies at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations · Indigenous-led vaccination clinics · the GO-VAXX bus and mobile or pop-up clinics (for ages five and older) · hospital clinics (for ages five and older, visit your local hospital or public health unit for booking details, if available in your region) |
Flu Shot
I also strongly recommend you get a flu shot as soon as possible. This will provide additional protection this respiratory illness season. As an individual at higher risk of severe illness from flu, due to your age, you are eligible to receive your flu shot now. Please contact your local pharmacy or primary care provider to get your flu shot. COVID-19 doses and flu shots can be received at the same time, where available.
Learn more at https://www.ontario.ca/page/flu-facts
Antiviral Medications and Testing
If you are eligible (https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-testing-and-treatment) for PCR or rapid molecular testing, you should seek out testing as soon as possible if you develop COVID-19 symptoms. Free rapid antigen tests are still available to the general public through participating retailers.
Antiviral medications such as Paxlovid are available at no cost, by prescription, to symptomatic, COVID-19 positive individuals at higher risk of severe COVID-19. Treatment must be started within five days of your symptoms starting.
For more information, visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-testing-and-treatment
Together we can work toward protecting you and your loved ones this fall.
Thank you,
Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health