COVID VACCINE INFORMATION PAGE

Vaccines currently approved by Health Canada:

mRNA vaccines:

  • Comirnaty (Pfizer BioNTech mRNA vaccine)

    • The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine currently approved for ages 6 months and up

    • It is the recommended vaccine (over Moderna) for those under 24, due to the slight increased cases of pericarditis/myocarditis observed following the Moderna vaccine

  • SpikeVax (Moderna mRNA vaccine)

    • The Moderna vaccine currently approved for ages 6 months and up

    • Currently the Moderna bi-valent vaccine is the only bi-valent approved in Canada (as of October, 2022)

  • Both are highly effective and safe

Viral vector Vaccines

  • Vaxzevria (Astra-Zeneca vaccine)

    • As of May 11, the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is not being administered in Ontario for patients receiving their first COVID-19 vaccine due to a rare but serious potential side effect referred to as  Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT). The change in this guideline is primarily due to the recent increased availability of mRNA based vaccines in Ontario, which do not carry any risk for VITT. 

  • Others: The Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Novavax Nuvaxovid, or Medicago Covifenz vaccines are only available in Ontario by contacting your local public health unit, and are typically reserved for specific eligible populations. Please contact the local public health unit (e.g. Toronto Public Health) if you feel that these vaccines are more appropriate for you.

Covid Vaccine for Children

In November 2021, Ontario started to offer pediatric doses of the mRNA Covid vaccine, and at this point we have vaccines for those aged 6 months and up:

  • Age 6 months to 5: Primary series only (Moderna pediatric series: 2 doses given 8 weeks apart, or Pfizer pediatric series: 3 doses given with 8 weeks between each dose)

  • Ages 5 to 17: Primary series, followed by a booster dose if >6 months (168 days) after completing the primary series.

Below are some facts about the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, based on recent studies of the vaccine in children:

  • The vaccine protects children from COVID-19: the vaccine was 90.7% effective.

  • No serious side effects were seen. The most common side effects were those that often happen with other vaccines: pain where the needle was injected, tiredness, headache, muscle pain and chills.

  • The dosing for the pediatric population is dependent on their age group, and is less than the adult dose.

  • The creation of this vaccine followed all required steps for the development of any vaccine

There are many resources about the safety of Covid vaccine, and we encourage caregivers (and our little patients!) with questions to explore the following excellent websites for more information:

Covid Vaccines and Pregnancy

Pregnant individuals are able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at any point in their pregnancy. Many people who are pregnant have gotten very sick from COVID-19 requiring hospitalization and critical care. Getting vaccinated is safe and an important way to be protected in pregnancy.

Many pregnant people who get COVID-19 can have mild symptoms. However, especially with the new variants spreading in Ontario, some can get very sick and develop respiratory complications that need care in the hospital. Giving birth too early in pregnancy (preterm birth) may be more common. Vaccines can protect against these variants and lower the risk of severe illness while pregnant. All COVID-19 vaccines are safe in pregnancy and are being used around the world.

CLICK HERE for a video message from Ontario’s Obstetricians explaining why it is critical for pregnant patients to get the COVID19 Vaccine (available in multiple languages). 

Questions & Answers about the COVID-19 Vaccines and Fertility, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding from expert Obstetricians at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.