COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Physicians and Primary Care

Health Canada approved the updated Moderna SPIKEVAX XBB COVID-19 vaccine. More information to come on when and to whom these vaccines will be available. Read the provincial announcement on flu, RSV and new COVID-19 XBB vaccines.

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

  • Step 1: Complete the readiness checklist

    If you have not ordered COVID-19 vaccine previously, complete and submit the COVID-19 vaccine readiness checklist for primary care and specialists to Public Health.

  • Step 2: Order vaccine for your practice

    Make sure there is a plan for immediate vaccine administration when ordering.

    Place your order using the COVID-19 vaccine order request form:

    • Orders are submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday and can be picked up from our office the following Thursday
    • With every vaccine order, you must include a current four week copy of your fridge temperature log (up to the present day). Fax or email your completed order form and four weeks of temperatures to 289-479-0192 or covid19vaccineorders@niagararegion.ca.
    • Public Health will call your office to discuss the details of your vaccine order and to arrange a pick-up time
    • Make sure your vaccine refrigerator is ready to accept COVID-19 vaccines (temperature kept at 2 C to 8 C)
    • Your office will need to have depleted inventory before receiving additional COVID-19 vaccine from Public Health
  • Step 3: Pick up vaccine from Public Health

    Your COVID-19 vaccine can be picked up from our office (Campbell East entrance) on Thursdays at your pre-arranged pick-up time.

    Before leaving your office, make sure that your insulated cooler is prepared for transport (temperature kept stable between 2 C to 8 C) and is equipped with a digital max / min thermometer.

Who to contact

COVID-19 vaccines are available to select primary care and specialist practices who are an approved COVID-19 administration site.

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.

Exceptional vaccination requests

COVID-19 vaccine information

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.

  • 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.

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