COVID-19 Vaccination Fall 2026/2027 Implementation Package

This memo provides information regarding the COVID-19 Immunization Vaccine Program for the 2026/2027 Fall respiratory season. COVID-19 vaccination remains important this fall to protect the health of individuals, families and communities as well as mitigate the impacts of respiratory diseases on our health care system.

Immunization of high priority populations is recommended as soon as vaccine is available. This includes:

• Adults 65 years and older
• Residents in long-term care homes, retirement homes and congregate living settings
• Individuals 64 years and younger with underlying medical conditions placing them at higher risk of severe COVID-19, including those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and children with complex health needs
• Pregnant people
• Individuals who identify as First Nations, Inuit or Métis and their non-Indigenous household members
• Health care workers, care providers and first responders, including paid and unpaid staff, volunteers, students and trainees, and those working in long-term care, continuing care or home care for people at high risk
• Members of underserved communities

Key Dates:

• Late September 2026: COVID-19 vaccine available for high priority groups
• October 26, 2026: COVID-19 vaccine available to the general public.
• March 31, 2027: Fall doses can continue to be given until this date.
• April to June 2027: Additional (spring) dose for eligible high-risk individuals.

Details will be shared in a separate memo.

Please discuss COVID-19 vaccination with your patients, particularly those at higher risk, and encourage them to get vaccinated for COVID-19 along with other recommended respiratory vaccines including influenza and RSV if eligible. COVID-19 vaccines can be accessed through health care providers, local pharmacies and Public Health clinics.

Resources, including the Health Care Provider letter, Q&A documents and product monographs, can be found at hamilton.ca/fallrespiratoryvaccines

Please visit Ontario's COVID-19 Vaccine Program for additional information and tools to help your patients make an informed decision about COVID-19 vaccines.

Publicly Funded Products Available:

Three publicly funded products (Spikevax, Comirnaty and Nuvaxovid) have been updated to target the Omicron XFG variant.

Spikevax and Comirnaty are mRNA vaccines, and Nuvaxovid is a protein subunit (non-mRNA) vaccine. Spikevax is currently the only product available for children 6 months to 11 years of age. All three products are available for individuals 12 years and older. All publicly funded COVID-19 vaccines are considered equivalent. Vaccine allocation and distribution will be based on product availability.

New this season, the Ministry has added storage and handling guidance outlining beyond-use dates once thawed and post-puncture limits. For full details, please visit the COVID-19 Vaccine program (ontario.ca/page/covid-19-vaccine-program).

Co-administration:

Please consider co-administering COVID-19 vaccine with influenza vaccine, and with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine or RSV monoclonal antibody (mAb) product for eligible individuals, to maximize uptake and protection. Children 6 months to 4 years of age, and those whose occupational or recreational activities increase their risk of exposure to avian influenza A (H5N1), may receive COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available to support co-administration with influenza vaccine.

Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI):

Health care professionals are reminded to report adverse events following immunization to the Medical Officer of Health within 7 days of recognizing the reportable event. Please use the Public Health Ontario AEFI form: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/health-topics/immunization/vaccine-safety Completed reports should be faxed to Hamilton Public Health at 1-844-444-0295.

It is not necessary to report expected events such as injection site reactions and mild fever. Unexpected, severe and unusual adverse events should be reported promptly.

For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine program, please call 905-540-5250.

COVID-19 Vaccine Orders:

Administration of COVID-19 vaccines will be limited to Health Care Providers who have completed onboarding with the Ministry of Health for Panorama Guided Workflow (PGW). Health care providers seeking to onboard for PGW and administer COVID-19 vaccines should contact Hamilton Public Health at [email protected].

Please complete and return the standard Fall Respiratory Vaccine Order Form, available at www.hamilton.ca/Vaccine-HealthCareProfessionals to order your initial doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Initial orders can be placed now, with distribution expected to begin in early October. Orders will be filled based on vaccine product availability.

If you require additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine after your initial request, please submit the standard Fall Respiratory Vaccine Order Form on or after October 26th, 2026. Please order quantities you expect to use and refer to the Health Care Provider Fact Sheet for storage and handling details.

Attachments found at COVID-19 Vaccine Program | ontario.ca

1. Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: COVID(PDF, 330.32 KB)