COVID-19 vaccination opportunities: week of December 13, 2021

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is offering several convenient opportunities in the Sudbury & Manitoulin districts this week to help you get your COVID-19 vaccine. Don’t delay. Get your first and second dose as soon as possible and your third dose if you are eligible. A reminder that second and third dose appointments must be booked after you have received your first dose.

Regularly scheduled Public Health COVID-19 vaccine clinics

• COVID-19 vaccination is available by appointment every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at the Carmichael Arena in Greater Sudbury.
• COVID-19 vaccination is available every Wednesday by appointment at the Espanola Golf & Country Club, 309 Golf Club Road, Espanola.

Vaccination opportunities for the week of December 13, 2021

More opportunities may be added throughout the week. For regular updates, follow us on social media @PublicHealthSD (Facebook, Twitter). Visit us online for up-to-date clinic details, including the clinic times and mRNA vaccine brand that is planned at phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

Starting Monday, December 6, unless otherwise noted, we will be moving to appointment-only COVID-19 vaccine clinics. Upon further evaluation of clinic logistics and factoring in the colder winter weather we have made this decision in the interest of public safety and to ensure attending one of our clinics remains as comfortable as possible. A small number of clinics will continue to offer walk-in opportunities. Those clinics will be clearly labelled.

Monday, December 13

Appointment only clinics

• Sacred Heart Catholic School, 303 Church Street, Espanola 

Appointment or walk-in clinics

• Pius XII Catholic Elementary School, 44 Third Avenue, Greater Sudbury

Tuesday, December 14

Appointment only clinics

• Alban Community Centre, Alban, Sudbury East
• Carmichael Arena, Greater Sudbury
• Mindemoya Missionary Church, Mindemoya, Manitoulin Island

Wednesday, December 15

Appointment only clinics

• Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ Chapleau office, Chapleau
• Capreol Community Centre and Arena, 20 Meehan Street, Capreol
• Carmichael Arena, in partnership with Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre
• Dowling Leisure Centre, 79 Main Street W, Dowling
• Espanola Golf & Country Club, Espanola

Thursday, December 16

Appointment only clinics

• Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ Chapleau office, Chapleau
• Carmichael Arena, Greater Sudbury
• S. Geiger Public School, Massey
• Veterans Memorial Hall, 58 Charles Street, Killarney

Appointment or walk-in clinics

• Lansdowne Public School, 185 Lansdowne Street, Greater Sudbury

Friday, December 17

Appointment only clinics

• Chelmsford Community Centre and Arena, Chelmsford
• Southridge Mall, 1933 Regent Street, Greater Sudbury

Saturday, December 18

Appointment only clinics

• Carmichael Arena, Greater Sudbury

Pharmacies and primary care

With many pharmacies and primary care providers providing COVID-19 vaccination, there are even more options available to get your first or second dose locally, every week. Visit covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations (Government of Ontario) for a list of pharmacies in Ontario offering COVID-19 vaccination and for booking information or contact your primary care provider.

Flu and COVID-19

As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, getting your flu shot is also important to help save lives and reduce the burden on our health care system. The influenza and COVID-19 vaccines can be safely administered to individuals 12 years of age and older at the same time. Children 5 to 11 years of age must wait at least 14 days before or after receiving another vaccine prior to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The influenza vaccine is readily available at many locations throughout the community, including local pharmacies and health care providers’ offices.

Questions about vaccination

Whether you have questions about getting your first, second, or third dose of vaccine or you have questions about youth vaccination, our clinic immunizers as well as our call centre staff can help answer your questions. Your health care provider is also a trusted source of reliable and credible information. Choosing vaccination is a choice and everyone deserves to have the information they need to be well informed.

Vaccine brands offered and supplies

All Public Health clinics offer one of two mRNA vaccine brands—either Moderna Spikevax or the pediatric and adult dose of Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty. For adult vaccination, the adult dose of Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty and Moderna Spikevax vaccines can be safely interchanged. Based on vaccine supplies, the vaccine brand planned for use at any clinic is subject to change, possibly with limited notice. We encourage you to ask our immunizers for more information to help you make an informed decision and feel comfortable about getting either vaccine brand. To learn which mRNA vaccine brands are planned for our clinics, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

Eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines

First dose eligibility

• Individuals born in 2016 or before can receive a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty pediatric dose (10 micrograms) is approved for children turning 5 years old by the end of 2021 (born in 2016). Children 5 to 11 years of age must wait at least 14 days before or after receiving another vaccine prior to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty (30 micrograms) is approved for youth turning 12 years old before the end of 2021 to age 17.
  • The Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty is preferentially recommended for individuals aged 18 to 24 years old and the only approved vaccine for youth aged 12 to 17.
  • Everyone aged 25 and over can receive either Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty or Moderna Spikevax. These 2 mRNA vaccines can be safely interchanged.

Second dose eligibility

• Children aged 5 to 11 (including those turning 5 in 2021) who received their first pediatric dose of Pfizer-BioNTech more than 8 weeks ago.
• Anyone born in 2009 (that means anyone turning 12 in 2021) and earlier who received their first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine more than 56 days (8 weeks) ago.
• Anyone who received their first dose of Moderna Spikevax vaccine more than 56 days (8 weeks) ago.
• People who received AstraZeneca Vaxzevria 56 days ago (at least 8 weeks) and who would like to get an mRNA vaccine.
• The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and Ontario Ministry of Health recommend an optimal interval of 8 weeks (56 days) between first and second doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series (Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty or Moderna Spikevax). According to NACI, there is emerging evidence that longer intervals between the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines result in more robust and durable immune response and higher vaccine effectiveness. Public Health will administer second doses 8 weeks (56 days) following administration of a first dose, with limited exceptions.

Third dose eligibility

The Government of Ontario recommends a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as part of a primary vaccine series (meaning 3 doses are needed for full immunity) for the following individuals:

• Moderately to severely immunocompromised (see details at phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics)

Booster dose eligibility

The Government of Ontario recommends a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to restore protection that may have decreased over time to a level for the following individuals:

• Individuals 50 years of age and older who received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months ago (168 days, 24 weeks).
• First Nations, Inuit, and Métis adults 16 years of age and older including non-Indigenous household members, who received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months ago (168 days, 24 weeks).
• Eligible health care workers 16 years of age and older who received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months ago (168 days, 24 weeks) (see details at phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics).
• Individuals who received 2 doses of the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months ago (168 days, 24 weeks).
• Individuals who received 1 dose of the Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months ago (168 days, 24 weeks).
• Vulnerable older adults in congregate settings who received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months ago (168 days, 24 weeks) (see details at phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics).

For detailed information on eligibility for first, second, and third doses, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

Second and third dose appointments

Anyone eligible for a second or third dose can book an appointment as soon as they are eligible. To book online, visit covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine or call 705.674.2299 (toll-free: 1.800.708.2505), between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday to Friday. For a list of scheduled clinics, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

Preparing for a COVID-19 vaccination appointment

All vaccination clinics have COVID-safety measures in place. You must not attend a clinic if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or if you are in isolation due to a COVID-19 exposure.

• Bring your health card. If you do not have a health card or your health card is expired, bring another form of government-issued photo identification such as a driver’s license, passport, Status card, or birth certificate.
• Eat and drink something before you arrive at your appointment to prevent feeling faint or dizzy while being vaccinated.
• Do not show up until 5 minutes before your scheduled appointment.
• When possible, please limit the number of support people attending a vaccination clinic to one person.
• Dress for the weather, you may have to wait in line if you plan on attending a walk-in clinic.
• Wear a top that allows for easy access to the upper arm such as a loose-fitting top or a t-shirt.
• Wear a medical mask that covers your nose, mouth, and chin. If you do not have a medical mask, pediatric and adult medical masks will be available at the entrance to the clinic.
• If you have symptoms of COVID-19, do not attend the clinic.

For more information or if you have questions, please talk to trusted sources such as Public Health immunizers at COVID-19 vaccine clinics, health care providers, and pharmacists, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19 or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).