​COVID-19 Vaccines

Effective July 7, 2023, individuals 5+ years-of-age who had not yet received a fall 2022 booster or high risk individuals who were eligible to receive a spring booster, should consider delaying receipt of COVID-19 booster until fall 2023.

Receiving a booster dose in the fall, as respiratory season commences, will maximize protection against COVID-19 outcomes when peak circulation of the virus is expected. The decision to receive a booster dose prior to fall 2023 may be appropriate for certain individuals based on their unique health status and personal situation. Individuals should be encouraged to speak with their health care provider.

If recommended by health care provider, individuals in specific high-risk populations can receive a booster dose if at least six-months (168 days) has passed since their last dose or confirmed COVID-19 infection.

You can check to see when you’re recommended to receive a booster dose using the Province’s online tool. 

Before you can get a booster, you must be aged 5 or older and have completed your primary series of vaccine doses. A primary series consists of:

• 2 doses of a Health Canada approved/World Health Organization Vaccine Emergency List vaccine, or

• 3 doses of a Health Canada approved/World Health Organization Vaccine Emergency List vaccine if you are immunocompromised.

The Ontario Ministry of Health, in alignment with NACI, continues to recommend that COVID-19 vaccines should be offered to individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection without contraindications to the vaccine. Below are suggested intervals between previous COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 vaccination.

Suggested Interval Between Infection and Vaccination

A previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 is defined as:

• Confirmed by a molecular (e.g., PCR) or rapid antigen test; or
• Symptomatic AND a household contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case.

These suggested intervals are based on immunological principles and expert opinion, and may change as evidence on COVID-19, variants of concern (VOCs), and COVID-19 vaccines emerge.

You can choose to receive your vaccine at a pharmacy. Pharmacies are offering bivalent booster doses to those 18 years-of-age and older.

Please note, pharmacy vaccine clinics are not affiliated or administered by BCHU. Individuals looking to make an appointment must contact a participating pharmacy directly for information and support with appointment booking.

Please see below for pharmacies offering the COVID-19 vaccine in Brant:

Last updated: March 2, 2023.

Brantford

County of Brant

Please note, that at this time we are not accepting walk-ins at our vaccination clinics. Please check back at a later time for future vaccine walk-in availability.

Looking for more information on child and youth vaccination? Visit our COVID-19 Vaccines for Children & Youth webpage.

The bivalent COVID-19 vaccine is an updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine, that targets the original COVID-19 virus and the Omicron variant.

A bivalent COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized by Health Canada for use as a booster dose. Since the bivalent vaccine is being offered as a booster dose, those who receive it must have already completed a primary series.

Public Health Ontario (PHO) recommends that for individuals 6 months of age or older, COVID-19 vaccines may be given simultaneously with (i.e., same day), or at any time before or after non-COVID-19 vaccines.

VaxFacts Clinic

Scarborough Health Network’s VaxFacts Clinic is the first of its kind in Canada, supporting those across the country to get the most accurate information about vaccines and treatments for diseases like Monkeypox and COVID-19, childhood vaccines, flu vaccines, and preventative health counselling.

One-to-one phone consultation with a doctor is available free of charge in a judgment-free conversation in a safe space.

For more information, visit the VaxFacts Clinic website.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your existing appointment, you can do so:

• online by using the unique link provided to you in the confirmation email you received when booking your appointment;

OR

• by calling the Brant County Health Unit at 519-753-4937

We strongly recommend canceling or rescheduling your appointment online. It is done in two simple steps:

Step 1:
Click on the unique link provided to you in the confirmation email. Enter your 1) date of birth and 2) email address or phone number used at the time you booked your current appointment.

Step 2:
Cancel or reschedule your appointment.

Important:

If you cancel your appointment, you will receive a cancellation confirmation email with a link to reschedule your appointment, if you choose to do so.

Please report your side effects to your family doctor.

It is important to remember that some people may experience side effects from the vaccine, but they will likely be moderate and resolve after a few days. Some of the symptoms are part of the body’s response to developing immunity.

For more information see the “COVID-19 vaccine information” expander below.

As per provincial guidelines, individuals who have received a partial or complete COVID-19 vaccine series outside of Ontario or Canada should contact their local public health unit to have their COVID-19 immunization record documented into the provincial database, COVaxON.

Ensuring vaccination information is up-to-date and complete will enable individuals to:

• Book a second dose appointment through the provincial booking system, their local public health unit or through participating pharmacies or primary care settings;
• Receive an Ontario vaccination receipt; and
• Share their COVID-19 immunization records with their health care providers.

If you are a resident of Brant and have received your first, second or all doses outside of Ontario or Canada, please contact the Brant County Health Unit by phone at 519-753-4937 ext. 438, or via email COVIDVaccinationEnquiries@bchu.org to provide your name and contact information. A member of our team will contact you as soon as possible to validate and record your information into the provincial database. Proof of immunization is required to verify the COVID-19 vaccine product received.

Please note an in-person appointment may be required to validate your COVID-19 vaccination. If you do not reside in Brant, please contact your respective heath unit for assistance.

The vaccines contain fats, salts, sugars and buffers. They do not contain eggs, gelatin or pork, gluten, latex, preservatives, antibiotics, aluminum, or fetal cells. Serious allergic reactions are rare. Allergic reactions can be treated and are usually temporary. The vaccines are certified Halal by the Muslim Medical Association of Canada and the Canadian Council of Imams.

Please visit the COVID-19 Community Support Finder website for more information.