COVID-19 Vaccines

Given the limited availability of vaccines at the present time and in order to ensure that those at highest risk from serious illness due to COVID-19 are protected first, the provincial and federal governments have established a priority list of who will get which vaccine and in what order.

Read more about Hamilton’s vaccination plan.

Details will be posted here, as well as shared broadly through social media, media and direct outreach.

Indigenous communities can be a higher risk of COVID infections and complications given colonialism and racism. Colonialism has impacted Indigenous healthcare, housing, drinking water supplies and access to traditional practices and foods.

COVID infections can spread easily in crowded and in multi-generational households where masking and physical distancing can be difficult or impossible to carry out. Indigenous Services Minister Miller noted that “regardless of where you call home, Indigenous peoples are 3.5 to 5 times more at risk of suffering severe or even life-threatening consequences of COVID-19.”

Vaccines are currently only available to individuals and groups identified in the provincial plan. Please review information above to determine which groups and individuals Hamilton is currently vaccinating to see if you are currently eligible, and timelines for remaining groups and individuals to receive their vaccination. 

In alignment with provincial direction, effective March 10, 2021, second doses for the COVID-19 vaccine have been extended to a 16-week interval. This follows the recommendation from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). The 16-week interval for the second dose applies to the three two-dose vaccines currently approved by Health Canada (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca). Extending the intervals for second dose will preserve supply to increase the number of individuals benefiting from a first dose.

 The following groups will continue to receive vaccine at the initial intervals as described in the product monographs:

• residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, Elder Care Lodges and Assisted Living facilities who are at the greatest risk of both exposure to COVID-19 and serious illness and death; and,
• remote and isolated First Nation communities given the potential seriousness of COVID 19 infection in these communities with limited available health care facilities and resources.

This means that if you have received your first COVID-19 vaccine and are awaiting a second dose (and you don’t fall into the above groups), you will receive notification that your second vaccine appointment is cancelled. Beginning the week of March 15, you will receive a call to reschedule your 2nd appointment.

Twenty-one pharmacies in the Hamilton area are administering the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to community members 55 years of age and over (born in or before 1966) who are in good health.

Vaccinations at pharmacies are by-appointment only, walk-ins are not permitted. Eligible community members 55 years of age and older can call or visit the websites of participating pharmacies to make their appointment. You must have a Ontario photo health (OHIP) card, or other form of valid government-issued identification. The start date for each pharmacy varies.

See a list of participating pharmacies