Frequently Asked Questions about the COVID-19 Vaccine

General information

• What are the dates for when age groups can expect to be immunized?

  Phase of Provincial plan	Prioritized groups	Niagara's progress
  Phase 1 - Group 1	Long-term care home residents High-risk retirement home residents	Niagara completed vaccinations with first doses for this group in February.
  Phase 1 - Group 2	Staff and essential caregivers of long-term care and retirement homes Health care workers who are at greatest risk	Niagara completed vaccinations with first doses for this group in February.
  Phase 1 - Group 3	Remaining health care workers Staff, residents and caregivers in all other retirement homes and senior-specific congregate care settings Home care recipients Indigenous adults Adults 80 years and older	Underway
  Phase 2	Adults 60 to 79 years High-risk congregate settings, such as shelters, prisons, migrant farmworkers Persons with high-risk medical conditions and their caregivers Front-line essential workers Other at-risk populations	Underway
  Phase 3	Everyone else	Limited work started

• What if the eligible individual is receiving home care and isn't able to go to a mass vaccination clinic? How will they get vaccinated if they register?

  We understand there are concerns about how adult chronic home care recipients and their caregivers will be notified and how they will be vaccinated. Public Health is working on plans to address this.

• There are multiple COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Canada. I'm eligible to receive a vaccine now. Should I wait for a certain one to become available to me?

  No. The best vaccine you can get is the one that is available to you. All vaccines offered at our clinics have been approved by Health Canada.

  Currently, Niagara Region Public Health is using Pfizer and Moderna. You will not be able to select between vaccine products. Learn more about vaccine development and approval in Canada.

  All of the vaccines approved for use in Canada (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson) showed similar success in preventing the worst outcomes of COVID-19: hospitalizations and deaths. While the efficacy varied in preventing mild illness from COVID-19 between the four approved vaccines, all of them still showed a high degree of success in preventing mild illness in their respective studies.

  Also, while each vaccine has been thoroughly studied and reviewed, there have not been trials to date that assessed these vaccines in the same study. This makes it hard to make accurate comparisons between these four vaccines.

  You help protect yourself, your family and your community from COVID-19 by getting the first COVID-19 vaccine that becomes available to you. These vaccines will help stop the spread of the virus and allow us to safely return to normal.

• Why should I get vaccinated if the COVID-19 infection has a high survival rate?

  COVID-19 can be a serious illness for anyone and for some people symptoms can last for months. The vaccine is safe and virtually eliminates the risk of serious illness and death. The benefits of vaccination outweigh any potential drawbacks.

• How were the COVID-19 vaccines developed so fast?

  The rapid development was made possible by decades of advances in vaccine technology. Specific research into coronaviruses gave a head start to developing a COVID-19 vaccine. Watch COVID-19: How vaccines are developed.

• How were the clinic locations in Niagara selected?

  Selection involved a complex matrix of criteria, including:

  • Safe routing through the clinic space to allow for physical distancing
  • Free and ample parking
  • Accessibility, including entrances, exits, ramps, elevators, etc.
  • Temperature control for vaccines
  • Space to have a large amount people delivering vaccines at the same time
  • Drive time for large portions of our population
  • Accessible by public transit
  • Connectivity to internet services
  • Public safety implications, with a focus on possible impacts to major roadways
• Can I get COVID-19 from the shot?

  No. There is no COVID-19 virus in the vaccine.

• Can the COVID-19 vaccine change my DNA?

  No. The vaccine doesn't change your DNA in any way.

• I've heard there are new strains of the COVID-19 virus. Is there information about the effectiveness of the existing vaccine on the new strain?

  Currently, experts believe the vaccine will work with the new strains, and some of the early research supports that.

• Where can I find data on Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) for COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada?

  Health Canada has released a COVID-19 vaccine safety in Canada dashboard.

• Where can I find a list of ingredients in COVID-19 vaccines?
  • Pfizer
  • Moderna
  • AstraZeneca
  • Janssen (Johnson & Johnson)

Prioritization

• I'm a caregiver for an individual who is 80 years of age. Can I get my vaccination at the same time?

  You can attend the clinic appointment as a support person.

  You need to book an appointment for yourself when you're eligible. Find out who can book an appointment in Niagara.

• I'm a caregiver to someone who has a high risk condition. Can I get vaccinated at the same time as them?

  Some caregivers, if they are caring for someone with a high risk condition, will be part of Phase 2 vaccinations.

• I’ve heard about vaccine queue jumpers in the news. What measures are in place to make sure this doesn’t happen in Niagara?

  We ensure that everyone being vaccinated is part of the current priority group. Learn about the ethical framework for COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Ontario.

• I'm concerned about equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations globally. What is our government doing about this?

  Learn more about Canada’s investments to support equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines.

If you're getting vaccinated soon

• If I tested positive for COVID-19 in the past, should I still get the vaccine?

  If you had COVID-19 in the past, you're likely to have some immunity. Immunity to COVID-19 is still being studied, but is generally strong within 90 days of infection and can reduce over time. Where supply is available, people with past illness in the last 90 days are still recommended for vaccination since vaccine might provide better immunity than natural infection.

• What do I need to know about the second dose?

  It's important for individuals to ask the health care professional performing the first dose of their COVID-19 vaccination when to expect their second dose.

  If your second dose vaccination appointment was cancelled, you will be notified about a second dose that will be given within the acceptable interval. For more information, contact the home where you received your first dose.

• If I had a reaction to a different vaccine in the past, can I still get the COVID-19 vaccine?

  Most people who had a reaction to a prior vaccine can safely receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Check with your doctor or health care provider if you have had a serious allergic reaction to a vaccine in the past. They will look at your medical records and advise you accordingly.

• Is it acceptable for someone with food or seasonal allergies to receive the COVID-19 vaccine?

  Yes. If you have allergies that are not related to any components of the COVID-19 vaccine, you can still be vaccinated.

• Who should not get the vaccine?

  People who have had a serious allergic reaction, such as anaphylaxis, to a component of the COVID-19 vaccine cannot receive the vaccine. For the current COVID-19 vaccine, if you have an allergy to polyethylene glycol, you should not get vaccinated if your past reaction was severe. Others who have had a less serious, but immediate allergic reaction, should see their health care provider for guidance.

• Who should consult with their health care provider about getting vaccinated?

  There are other groups where the vaccine has not been studied enough to be completely certain about its safety, but based on general scientific knowledge and experience with previous vaccines there are no reasons to think it would be unsafe.

  • Pregnant women or those trying to get pregnant
  • People who are breastfeeding
  • People with compromised immune systems or autoimmune diseases

  We would generally recommend vaccination for people in the above groups with a high-risk of exposure to COVID-19, such as those working in long-term care and retirement homes. However, the potential risks and benefits should be discussed with your doctor or another healthcare provider.

After being vaccinated

• How will I receive proof of vaccination for COVID-19?

  The health care professional performing your COVID-19 vaccination will provide you with a client record. Keep this important handout with your own immunization records and let your health care provider know you were immunized.

• Do I still need to self-isolate for 14 days after returning from a trip if I travel after receiving the vaccine?

  Yes. Self-isolation for two weeks following travel is a requirement under federal law, and will continue to remain in effect for those who have received the vaccine. At this time, non-essential travel is not recommended.

• Once a person is vaccinated with the series of two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, can they stop following public health measures like wearing a mask, physical distancing and self-isolating when they become sick?

  No. While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue practising public health measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Vaccination

• Booking your Appointment
• Before your Appointment
• Clinic Schedule
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Vaccination Task Force
• Vaccination Statistics
• COVID-19 Information