COVID-19 Vaccination

Severe reactions are uncommon. If you need medical assistance, please seek medical attention. Call 911 if you need assistance immediately.

Signs of serious allergic reactions may include:

• difficulty breathing
• swelling of face, throat or tongue
• hives (bumps on the skin that are itchy)

If these occur, a doctor should report them to Hamilton Public Health Services.

Other uncommon adverse reactions that doctors need to report to Hamilton Public Health Services include:

• rash
• swelling of arm that spreads to the next joint (elbow) or lasts 4 days or more
• pain that lasts 4 days or more
• fainting that causes injury
• swelling of the face or mouth
• very pale colour and serious drowsiness
• high fever (over 40°C)
• convulsions or seizures
• other serious symptoms (e.g., “pins and needles” or numbness lasting for over 24 hours).

Discuss any of the uncommon reactions with your family doctor. If you don’t have a family doctor, a walk-in clinic might be preferred. A doctor can diagnose these uncommon reactions.

Below are the ways you can submit the form for adverse reactions to public health:

• Fax the Vaccine program’s confidential fax line: 905-546-4841
• Upload to CityShare
  • All file formats are accepted, but PDF AEFI report forms is preferred.
  • Once the file is uploaded, the file will appear under “Uploaded Files”.

If you have any other inquiries and/or are unable to submit the AEFI report through the two methods above, call 905-546-2424 ext. 7556.

Allow up to 15 business days for us to process your AEFI report. A public health nurse will contact you via phone to follow-up with you about your AEFI report.

AEFI Reporting Form and AEFI fact sheet

Read more about adverse effects (PDF, 135 KB)

Receipts are available:

• for first and second doses received in Ontario (once you get them)
• regardless of where you were vaccinated (for example, at a mass immunization clinic, hospital, pharmacy or primary care setting)

For those with a green Ontario photo health card

If you have a green Ontario photo health card, you can access your vaccine receipt online.

• Visit https://covid19.ontariohealth.ca/
• Enter health card information
• Click on the yellow Vaccine Receipt button, and then you can download your receipt

If you are having difficulty obtaining your proof of vaccination through the provincial portal, you can email [email protected] or call 905-540-5250.

For those without a green Ontario photo health card/no requirement for watermarked proof of vaccination.

Hamilton Public Health Services is able to provide proof of immunization by email if you don't have a health card. However, this is considered personal health information and use of email does pose risks in that it could be intercepted by unauthorized third parties. Therefore, we will need to obtain verbal consent prior to sending your vaccination receipt.

In order to request proof of immunization, email [email protected]. In order to process your request, at a minimum you must include:

• Your phone number
• A sentence explaining that you are looking for proof of vaccination

Please have your ID ready when we call to verify your identity.

For those without green Ontario photo health card/requirement for watermarked proof of vaccination

If you require proof of vaccination with a watermark and do not have a green Ontario photo health card, you will need to call the provincial call centre at 1-833-943-3900. However, you need to have a red & white health card or will have to call public health first to get a code allowing you to access this service. Please call the COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at (905) 974-9848, option 7.

Information about proof of vaccination for the Ontario Vaccine Passport will be provided when it is available.

Please refer to the federal government recommendations for vaccines not authorized by Health Canada.

The government is continuing to review these guidelines.

If you were vaccinated in another country or province or if you received federal vaccine supply (i.e., Federal stock used for Correctional Facilities, Military groups, Embassies, First Nations etc), please fill out this form. If you are unable to complete this form on your computer, print the form and fill it out completely. Please submit the form and the proof of vaccination document that was provided from the clinic where you received the vaccine. You can submit these documents by:

1. Fax 905-546-4841
2. Mail or by drop off

   City of Hamilton
   Vaccine Program
   2nd floor Robert Thomson Building, 110 King St W
   Hamilton, ON
   L8P 4V3
   Drop off Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

It will take up to 7 days for the record to be reviewed and entered into the COVID-19 vaccination records database (COVAXon).

Residents are required to submit or show their record of receipt for the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine prior to receiving their second dose to ensure the correct interval between doses and to determine the need for a subsequent dose.

Hamilton Public Health Services and the Ministry are currently not providing COVAXon receipts, for doses administered outside of Ontario. Clients must keep their original immunization record as proof of immunization.

Clients who received their vaccine from a non-Ontario stock (i.e., Federal Stock used for Correctional Facilities, Military groups, Embassies, First Nations, etc.) will be able to obtain a COVAXon receipt by completing the following steps:

• Visit covid19.ontariohealth.ca
• Enter health card information
• Click on the yellow Vaccine Receipt button, and then you can download your receipt

If you do not have an Ontario Health Card, email [email protected] with the following information:

• Your phone number
• A sentence explaining that you are looking for proof of vaccination and that you do not have a green Ontario photo health card

For specific inquiries, call Hamilton Public Health Vaccine Records line at 905-540-5250.

If you would like more information about your vaccination, contact your health care provider or if you do not have a health care provider, call Hamilton Public Health Services Vaccine Infoline: 905-546-2424 ext. 7556.

Directive #6 for COVID-19 Vaccination Policy in Health Settings specifies that employees, staff, contractors, volunteers, and students in high-risk settings must be fully vaccinated or have a medical reason prohibiting being fully vaccinated. Those with a medical reason must provide written proof from a physician or nurse practitioner.

Medical Exemptions to Directive #6

There are two vaccine contraindications that would qualify a patient for a medical exemption:

• 1. An allergy to a component of the vaccine as confirmed by an allergist/immunologist
  • Potential allergens include:
  • Moderna and Pfizer – polyethylene glycol
  • Moderna – tromethamine
  • AstraZeneca – polysorbate-80
  • Johnson&Johnson – polysorbate-80
  • For more information, please consult the product leaflets and/or the information contained in the product monographs available through Health Canada’s Drug Product Database
• 2. Myocarditis/pericarditis after a first dose of an mRNA vaccine
  • As a precautionary measure, the second dose in the mRNA COVID-19 vaccination series should be deferred in individuals who experience myocarditis or pericarditis following the first dose of an mRNA vaccine until more information is available. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) will continue to monitor the evidence and update recommendations as required.

Since contraindications to mRNA vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) are different to those for viral vector vaccines (AstraZeneca and Johnson&Johnson), most individuals with a contraindication to one platform of vaccines should still be eligible for the other and should be offered a vaccine accordingly (i.e., individuals with anaphylaxis post-mRNA vaccine may be offered a viral vector vaccine and individuals with anaphylaxis post-viral vector vaccines may be offered an mRNA vaccine).

Written Proof of a Medical Reason

• Currently there are no COVID-19 vaccination exemption affidavits for adults
• In the absence of an existing medical exemption form for COVID-19 vaccines, please write an official note from your clinic for patients that meet a medical reason for not being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 that includes:
  • The medical reason for not being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and
  • The effective time-period for the medical reason

Policy and Procedures for a Medical Exemption

• As per Directive #6, individuals who are not fully vaccinated must undertake regular point of care rapid antigen tests and demonstrate negative results in a manner consistent with the organization covered under the directive’s vaccination policy at a minimum once every seven days.
• For patients that meet a medical reason for not being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Directive #6 required they will need to submit to regular antigen point of care testing for COVID-19 and provide verification of the negative test result to the covered organization/high-risk setting. Testing must be a minimum once every seven days.
• Patients will need to follow policy and procedures for testing as outlined by the covered organization/high-risk setting. Patients should contact their employer or post-secondary institution directly for any questions, not Hamilton Public Health Services.

Medical Exemption Due to Precautions

Some patients may ask for a medical exemption if they have a precaution to getting a COVID-19 vaccine (e.g. hypersensitivity and allergies, acute illness, hematologic). These patients are still able to be vaccinated safely and therefore don’t qualify for a medical exemption. More information:

• NACI: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines. See contraindications and precautions.
• Ministry of Health: COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations for Special Populations

Online or Provincial Call Centre
You can book your vaccine appointment through the provincial phone line or online booking portal if you have a green Ontario photo health card (OHIP) (expired cards will be accepted).

Call 1-888-999-6488

Note:City of Hamilton staff are unable to assist with technical issues with the provincial booking system.

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Public Health Services COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline

You will choose to receive Moderna or Pfizer at most of our vaccine clinics.

If you do not have an Ontario health card or if you have a red and white Ontario health card, call the Public Health Services COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7 to book your appointment.

Community members who received their first dose outside of the province can call the Vaccine Hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7 to book an appointment. You must bring proof of your first vaccine (i.e., paper receipt) and ID to your second dose appointment. Clinic staff will review the documents at your appointment.

Certain groups who face a greater risk of contracting and suffering serious illness from COVID-19covid 19 can also get their second dose at a shorter interval for additional protection.

The following individuals may be able to get second doses earlier than four months after the first dose:

• residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, Elder Care Lodges and Assisted Living facilities
• Indigenous peoples
• had organ or stem cell transplant
• are being treated for cancer that affects your blood, bone marrow or lymph nodes (a haematological malignancy) or a malignant solid tumor
• are a dialysis recipientare taking certain immunosuppressive medications (anti-CD20 agents, such as rituximab, ocrelizumab or ofatumumab)

Individuals need to bring a letter with them to their 1st dose appointment to prove eligibility for decreased second dose intervals

A completed two dose COVID-19 vaccine series provides strong protection against COVID-19 and severe outcomes, including against the Delta variant of concern, in the general population. However, for some populations, a third dose may be required as two doses may not provide sufficient protection based on suboptimal or waning immune response to vaccines and increased risk of COVID-19 infection.

The following populations will be offered a third dose:

• Transplants recipients (including solid organ transplant and hematopoietic stem cell transplants)
• Patients with hematological cancers (examples include lymphoma, myeloma, leukemia) on active treatment (chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapy) for malignant hematologic disorders
• Recipients of an anti-CD20 agent (e.g. rituximab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab)

Residents of high-risk congregate settings including long-term care homes, high-risk licensed retirement homes and First Nations elder care lodges, Transplants recipients, patients with hematological cancers on active treatment for malignant hematologic disorders, and recipients of an anti-CD20 agent groups can receive their third dose a minimum of eight weeks following their second dose. Eligible community members will be contacted by their health care providers (family doctor, specialist or hospital specialty program) to advise of their eligibility and to provide a referral form for their third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine which can be received at any of the clinics. 

Residents of long-term care homes, high-risk licensed retirement homes and First Nations elder care lodges will receive their third dose in their residence. Their third dose can be administered a minimum of five months following their second dose. Public Health is working with long-term care homes to provide COVID-19 vaccination within their homes.  Each home will set the vaccination schedule within their respective long-term care home.

People who attend a vaccination clinic will have the option to provide information about their race, ethnicity, income, household size, and language to help Hamilton Public Health Services and the Ministry of Health plan COVID-19 vaccinations for communities that are at-risk and disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Find the consent form and questions: https://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/coronavirus/docs/vaccine/SD_Data_Consent_Form.pdf

• Proof of identity - government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, health card, passport, or Status Card can be used. Your ID needs to have your name, address, and photo and birthdate on it.
• Confirmation email or code.
• Wear a loose-fitting shirt. 
• You will be given a consent form at the Vaccine Clinic.

Option 1: Show one of these pieces of ID that have your current Hamilton address

• your driver's licence
• any other card issued by a Canadian government (federal, provincial/territorial or local) with your photo, name and current address

Option 2: Show two pieces of ID

Both must have your name and at least one must have your current address. Examples below:

No, you should not receive the vaccine while in quarantine/isolation or when you are not feeling well Wait until you feel better or are out of quarantine/isolation to get your vaccine.

The vaccines are free. You will not be asked for any financial information.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) in Canada notes that no drug interaction studies have been performed to date, so we do not know if there could be interference with medications or substances such as drugs or alcohol. 

NACI also recommends that the COVID-19 vaccines not be given at the same time as other live or inactivated vaccines or blood products.

Yes, you can get a COVID-19 vaccine regardless of past or current drug use. It is important that you are not under the influence of alcohol or any substances at your vaccine appointment. This is because substance use can impact your ability to give informed consent and lessen your ability to understand the risks and benefits of the vaccine.

You can read our answers to frequently asked questions, ask your health care provider or call the Vaccine Hotline 905-974-9848, option 7.

You can access translation services at the clinics, and the clinic materials are available in many languages.

Read the vaccine consent form, vaccine information, what you need to know about your vaccine appointment and what happens after you receive your vaccine in 33 languages.

Yes, continue to eat your meals and stay hydrated as usual. Make sure you have something to eat before coming to the clinic to prevent feeling faint while being vaccinated. This can be especially helpful for some individuals who have needle fears or a history of fainting with needles.

Yes

You will have to wait in the clinic for a minimum of 15 minutes after getting the vaccine. You may need to stay longer if necessary.

Yes, everyone who receives a vaccine will get a printed receipt that includes their name, the date of their first and/or second vaccine, the name of the vaccine they received and the location of the vaccine clinic. If you consent to receive information electronically and provide the necessary details, you will also receive a digital version of the receipt electronically via email.