1. When can I get the COVID-19 vaccine and how do I book an appointment?
Visit our Vaccination Clinics for COVID-19 page to see who is currently eligible and currently recommended to receive a vaccine, and for information on clinic dates, locations and how to book an appointment. Public Health Sudbury & Districts will continue to have a number of clinic opportunities in the upcoming months. This page is updated frequently as new information becomes available.
2. Which vaccines are being administered locally?
Public Health Sudbury & Districts will primarily offer the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines including Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty and Moderna Spikevax at each of their clinics. Vaccines being offered will be based on an individual’s age and availability of vaccine at each clinic. The bivalent mRNA vaccines will be available in limited supply for the completion or initiation of a primary series for all individuals 6 months and old who refuse to receive the recommended XBB.1.5-containing formulation.
Novavax Nuvaxovid, a non-mRNA vaccine, is a protein-based vaccine that is offered to individuals who are unable or not willing to receive an mRNA vaccine. If you are interested in receiving Novavax Nuvaxovid please contact Public Health Sudbury & Districts to be added to a waiting list as this vaccine is not routinely offered in clinics.
Click here to see a list of the vaccinations available at Public Health Sudbury & Districts, as well as in pharmacies and at primary care providers. It is important to note that not all pharmacies and primary care providers carry the COVID-19 vaccines. You can speak with the immunizer if you have any questions or concerns about the vaccine available to you at the clinic.
3. What can I expect at a COVID-19 Public Health Clinic?
COVID-19 clinics are offered throughout the Public Health Sudbury & Districts jurisdiction. Click here to see the list of clinics. Client screening, masking, and physical distancing are still required when entering a COVID-19 immunization clinic.
Here is what to expect before, during, and after your vaccination for COVID-19.
Before your appointment
- Bring your health card. If you do not have a health card or your health card is expired, bring another form of government-issued identification such as a driver’s license, passport, Status card, or birth certificate.
- Eat and drink something before heading out to your appointment to prevent feeling faint or dizzy while being vaccinated.
- Wear a top that allows for easy access to the upper arm such as a loose-fitting top or a t-shirt.
- A mask will be provided to you upon entry. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, do not attend the clinic. Please cancel your appointment.
- For further information on the vaccine and your appointment, see the Ministry of Health’s document entitled what you need to know before your COVID-19 vaccine appointment.
Upon arrival for your scheduled vaccination
- Wear your mask, use hand sanitizer, and maintain physical distancing. A medical-grade mask will be provided to those that do not have one.
- You will be asked to read through a list of screening questions prior to entering the clinic. If you answer yes to any of the questions, please defer your vaccine. A staff member will direct you to the next available immunizer.
- The immunizer will answer any questions you may have and ensure that you are an eligible candidate for the vaccine (without contraindications).
- You may ask your immunizer to record the immunization on your Immunization Record if you brought it with you.
After receiving your COVID-19 vaccination
- Following your COVID-19 vaccination, you will be seated in the waiting area for a period of 15 minutes (some people may be asked to wait for 30 minutes) as a precaution.
- An electronic certificate of your COVID-19 vaccine will be emailed to you after you receive your dose.
- A printout copy of your COVID-19 vaccine certificate can be requested after your immunization at the clinic.
- Should you experience any adverse effects, as with all immunizations, inform your primary health care provider or seek emergency medical care if warranted.
- Remember that mild side effects can be a sign that your immune system is working to build an immune response.
4. Can fully vaccinated people get COVID-19?
Yes, because no vaccine is 100% effective. The COVID-19 vaccines teach your immune system how to recognize and fight against the COVID-19 virus, which helps to prevent illness if you encounter the virus. This helps to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. It also helps to reduce the risk of post COVID-19 conditions (commonly known as long COVID).
It is important that you receive all recommended doses of the vaccine to stay up-to-date and to build long-term protection against COVID-19.
5. Does the current COVID-19 vaccine protect against variants of concern (VOC)?
The Ontario Ministry of Health recommends a dose of the XBB.1.5-containing COVID-19 mRNA vaccine for individuals in the authorized age group. Any vaccine with the XBB.1.5-containing formulation is expected to target the Omicron subvariant strains that are circulating locally and across the globe and those that are expected to circulate throughout this respiratory season.
6. Will pharmacies and primary care administer COVID-19 vaccines?
Yes. Select pharmacies (Government of Ontario) and primary care settings are administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
7. What if I’m an international student, a visitor or, in Ontario on a work visa? Can I get the vaccine for COVID-19?
Yes. If you work, study, live in, and or are visiting Ontario you are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, free of charge. The COVID-19 vaccine will be made available to everyone in Canada for whom it is approved and recommended. This applies to all individuals in Canada, whether they are citizens or not.
8. What if I don’t have a Health Card? Can I use another type of identification to book my appointment?
Yes. To book your appointment, have another form of identification available such as a passport, driver’s license, birth certificate, employee identification, First Nations identification, MRN (Medical Record Number), or out of province health card. The vaccine will be administered to you at no cost. Anyone who works, studies, or lives in Ontario is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
9. I got my COVID-19 vaccine(s) outside of Ontario or Canada, who do I contact to update my immunization record?
Individuals who have received any dose of their COVID-19 vaccine(s) can use our form to report their COVID-19 vaccination(s) in the provincial database (COVaxON) or contact Public Health Sudbury & Districts, so we can update your immunization record. This will also help public health agencies monitor vaccine coverage. If your COVID-19 vaccination records are not in the provincial online database, we encourage you to submit your proof of vaccinations to help public health agencies monitor vaccine coverage. You can verify and access your records online through the provincial system (COVaxON). If you do not have a residence within the Sudbury District, please report your COVID-19 vaccinations to the public health unit servicing your area.
10. If I received previous doses of the COVID-19 vaccine outside of Ontario or Canada; how do I proceed for my next dose(s)?
If you have received any of your COVID-19 doses and are eligible to receive another dose, please report your COVID-19 vaccination(s) in the provincial database (COVaxON) or contact Public Health Sudbury & Districts to have your immunization record updated. We will require proof of vaccination, for example, an immunization record or proof of vaccine certificate (PVC). Contact us at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200). Once we have updated your immunization record and reviewed the details of the specific vaccine you received, you will be able to book your next vaccine appointment via telephone or online.
If you attend a vaccination clinic and your dose(s) are not recorded in the provincial database, you may still be eligible to receive a dose. Please bring all vaccine documentation with you to your vaccination appointment and a staff member will help you to determine if you are eligible for your next dose.
11. I received my COVID-19 vaccine. Do I still need to wear a face covering indoors and practice physical distancing?
Using personal protective measures such as physical distancing, wearing a face covering for those that may be deemed high risk of severe illness if they are infected, increasing ventilation in indoor spaces, and hand washing along with getting the COVID-19 vaccine are all protective layers that we continue to encourage. Review the COVID-19 Risk Index for more information and details on when these protective measures should be applied.