COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Physicians and Primary Care
The number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered in Niagara differs with each booster dose. It is higher in older age groups and lower in younger age groups. Public Health continues to run COVID-19 vaccination clinics five days a week.
All health care providers are trusted sources of vaccination information, whether they administer the COVID-19 vaccine or not. Trust is an important factor in vaccine uptake. Strongly encourage eligible patients to get all the recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Administering COVID-19 in your practice
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Step 1: Complete the checklist
To order and administer COVID-19 vaccines locally, complete the COVID-19 vaccine readiness checklist for primary care and specialists.
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Step 2: Order vaccine for your practice
Make sure there is a plan for immediate vaccine administration when ordering. Where possible, have the vaccine administered within the week it's received.
Place your order using the COVID-19 vaccine order request form:
- Orders are submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday
- Public Health will call your office to discuss the details of your vaccine order
- Ensure your vaccine refrigerator is ready to accept COVID-19 vaccines (maintained at 2-8 Celsius)
- Your office will need to have depleted inventory before receiving additional COVID-19 vaccine from Public Health
Who to contact
For questions about what's involved in joining the COVID-19 vaccine administration program, read our frequently asked questions or email our team.
Order vaccine
To place an order, use the COVID-19 vaccine order request form.
COVID-19 vaccine information
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What do I need to know about COVID-19 vaccines?
Find out when your patients should get their next booster and other important guidance.
If you have a patient requesting a certain vaccine, every effort should be made to get vaccinated with an mRNA vaccine for the primary series and any booster dose(s). mRNA vaccines are safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines and are available in Niagara.
Novavax
Individuals 12 years of age and older interested in accessing a dose of Novavax should call 905-688-8248 ext. 7425 to be added to a wait list after being assessed for eligibility.
Janssen
Janssen may be offered to individuals 18 years and older only when all other authorized COVID-19 vaccines are contraindicated. To be assessed for eligibility, call 905-688-8248 ext. 7425.
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Where can I get information about allergies and COVID-19 vaccines?
Ontario eConsult service offers allergy advice related to the COVID-19 vaccine. Sign up for eConsult.
Frequently asked questions
- If I have issues with COVaxON, who do I contact?
Niagara Region Public Health has a team dedicated to supporting on local issues and answering questions related to COVaxON. Email COVaxON Support to speak to a member of our team.
- I can't hold a vaccine clinic. Can I vaccinate patients individually?
Yes, you can vaccinate patients individually by grouping appointments together in your schedule. Due to fluctuating patient interest in COVID-19 vaccination or staffing limitations, we understand it may not be possible to allocate a specific day or time to administer COVID-19 vaccines to patients. Use opportunistic vaccination. Offer COVID-19 vaccination during routine immunizations or other in-person appointments.
Refer to "I'm concerned about wastage. How do I use up remaining vaccine?" for more information.
- I'm concerned about wastage. How do I use up remaining vaccine?
Vaccine waste may be unavoidable when trying to provide people with every possible opportunity to be vaccinated. Do not hesitate to puncture a vial for patients who may be vaccine hesitant or unlikely to return for vaccination. With the low demand for vaccination and secure supply, there might be some wastage, even with best efforts.
Start with small amounts of COVID-19 vaccine to see how vaccination works best in your practice. Use as many vaccine doses as you can before the vials must be disposed of.
Dispose of leftover vaccine or empty vials in medical sharps waste containers and destroy all labels and packaging.
- Can I transport the vaccine, for example to another clinic location?
The recommended routine practice is that once the vaccine arrives at your office / clinic, it's not moved again. This includes bringing it to a satellite office.
If you have questions about transportability, please call the Vaccine Preventable Disease program at 905-688-8248 or 1-888-505-6074 ext. 7396.
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What do I need to know about vaccinating children under five years of age?
The Ministry of Health's COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance states there is no preferred product between age appropriate Moderna or Pfizer for children six months to four years of age. For children who are five years of age at the time of their first dose, the use of Pfizer-BioNTech (10 mcg) vaccine is preferred.
COVID-19 vaccines may be given at the same time as, or any time before or after, other vaccines. It is recommended for infants and children to receive the same vaccine, either Moderna or Pfizer, for all doses in a primary series.
- How do I bill for COVID-19 vaccinations?
Log in to your OMA account for detailed information and to stay updated on billing codes for activities related to COVID-19 vaccination.
More information
- COVID-19 vaccine: Canadian Immunization Guide
- Ministry of Health guidance for vaccine storage and handling
- Diluent for Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine should be stored between 20 to 25 Celsius. If temperatures are outside of this range, call the Vaccine Preventable Disease program at 905-688-8248 or 1-888-505-6074 ext. 7396. Storage outside of this range must be tracked and assessed by the manufacturer before use.
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