Vaccination opportunities: week of October 24, 2022

COVID-19 vaccination

Public Health Sudbury & Districts offers opportunities in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts to help you get your COVID-19 vaccine. Don’t see a clinic in your area this week? Check back next week for more. See all Public Health clinic opportunities at: phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics. Additional opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine may also be available through select primary care providers and at participating pharmacies. Visit covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations for pharmacy locations that offer the COVID-19 vaccine.

It is recommended that you receive all COVID-19 vaccines for which you are eligible—including boosters—in order to build long-term protection against COVID-19. Staying up to date means you have completed the initial dose(s) of a COVID-19 vaccine. For those five years of age and older, it also means having received a COVID-19 vaccine within the last six months.

Seasonal Flu Vaccine

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is now accepting bookings for the seasonal flu vaccine. To book an appointment, please call 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).  The seasonal flu vaccine is also available at many locations throughout the community, including local pharmacies and health care providers’ offices.  Details regarding clinic dates, locations, hours of service and the vaccines being offered at each clinic will be available on our website beginning the week of October 31. Please note, opportunities to access the seasonal flu vaccine may differ throughout our service area each week. If you do not find a clinic in your area, please contact Public Health for more information.

Getting a seasonal flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available is important, as it can take up to two weeks for your body to build immunity. Individuals aged 5 years and older can safely get the seasonal flu vaccine immediately before or after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

See below for this week’s opportunities.

Vaccination opportunities for the week of October 24

At appointment only clinics for those under 5 years of age, eligible parents and caregivers may request their COVID-19 vaccination at the time of their child’s appointment. Please speak with clinic staff for more information.

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 locations, and mRNA vaccine brand or routine immunization that is planned at phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

Monday, October 24

Appointment only clinics

• Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ Manitoulin Island office, Mindemoya
  • First and second doses for those 6 months to under 5
• Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ main office, Sudbury
  • First and second doses for those 6 months to under 5

Appointment and walk-in clinics

•  Southridge Mall, Sudbury
  • First, second, and booster doses for those 5 and older

Tuesday, October 25

Appointment and walk-in clinics

• Centennial Community Centre and Arena, Hanmer
  • First, second, and booster doses for those 5 and older

Wednesday, October 26

Appointment only clinics

•  Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ Chapleau office, Chapleau
  • First and second doses for those 6 months to under 5
  • First, second, and booster doses for those 5 and older
• Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ main office, Sudbury
  • First and second doses for those 6 months to under 5.

Appointment and walk-in clinics

• Garson Community Centre and Arena, Garson
  • First, second, and booster doses for those 5 and older
• Southridge Mall, Sudbury
  • First, second, and booster doses for those 5 and older
• Espanola Recreation Complex, Espanola
  • First, second, and booster doses for those 5 and older

Thursday, October 27

Appointment only clinics

• Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ Chapleau office, Chapleau
  • First, second, and booster doses for those 12 and older

Appointment and walk-in clinics

• Dr. Edgar Leclair Community Centre and Arena, Azilda
  • First, second, and booster doses for those 5 and older

Friday, October 28

Appointment only clinics

• Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ main office, Sudbury
  • First and second doses for those 6 months to under 5

Appointment and walk-in clinics

• Chelmsford Community Centre and Arena, Chelmsford
  • First, second, and booster doses for those 5 and older
• Southridge Mall, Sudbury
  • First, second, and booster doses for those 5 and older

Saturday, October 29

Appointment and walk-in clinics

• Southridge Mall, Sudbury
  • First, second, and booster doses for those 5 and older

Book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment

To book online, visit covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine or call 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200), between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. For a list of scheduled clinics, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

Additional opportunities may also be available through select primary care providers or at participating pharmacies. Visit covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations for pharmacy locations that offer the COVID-19 vaccine.

Clinic services

Sensory-friendly service (COVID-19)

Sensory-friendly services may be available, as needed, and include a private immunization station at one of our mass clinics where lights can be dimmed, noise kept to a minimum, and extra time is allotted for the appointment.

Vaccine-to-vehicle service (COVID-19)

Vaccine-to-vehicle is a service available at select mass immunization clinics for individuals who are unable to receive their vaccine within a clinic setting for reasons such as sensory sensitivities, decreased mobility, or other health concerns. An immunizer will come outside to the parking lot to provide the vaccine to individuals in their vehicle. Please note that during extreme weather or extreme cold that your appointment may be rebooked to ensure everyone’s safety.

Appointments for sensory-friendly or vaccine-to-vehicle services can only be booked by phone at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200). The call centre is open Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and is closed on statutory holidays. Booking online is not available.

Questions about vaccination

Learn about the Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccines (Health Canada).

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines

All Public Health clinics offer mRNA vaccine brands – either Moderna Spikevax or Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), for first, second, and booster doses to eligible individuals. Public health clinics have both the original monovalent mRNA vaccines as well as bivalent mRNA vaccines. The monovalent vaccines are used for the primary series for all individuals 6 months and older, and for booster doses for those aged 5 to 11. The bivalent mRNA vaccines include two strains of the COVID-19 virus: the original COVID-19 strain and the Omicron variant strain. The bivalent mRNA vaccines are expected to provide improved protection against the circulating Omicron variants compared to the original mRNA vaccines. The bivalent vaccines are used for booster doses to eligible individuals aged 12 years and older. We encourage you to ask our immunizers for more information to help you make an informed decision and feel comfortable about getting your vaccine.

For vaccine clinics for children under 5 years of age, Public Health currently offers the Moderna Spikevax and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. It is important to note that for children under 5 years of age, the Moderna Spikevax vaccine will follow a two-dose series while Pfizer-BioNTech will follow a three-dose series.

Non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccines

Currently, mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty or Moderna Spikevax) are the preferred COVID-19 vaccine options for the primary series and booster doses administered at all Public Health clinics. However, Public Health can order a limited supply of the single-dose Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine and the Novavax (Nuvaxovid), non-mRNA vaccines, which can be used for a primary series or booster dose based on eligibility.

Appointments can be booked for a non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine by calling 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200) and providing a representative with your name and contact information. A representative will call you back to schedule an appointment once enough individuals have requested to receive a non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Eligibility

COVID-19 vaccines

In Ontario, you are considered up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines when you have completed the initial dose(s) of a COVID-19 vaccine and have received a COVID-19 vaccine within the last 6 months (if eligible). Boosters are particularly important for high-risk individuals, who should receive the booster three months after their last dose. Most Ontarians under the age of 65 should receive their booster dose at the recommended six-month interval. Individuals can choose to get their booster dose after a minimum of 3 months, with informed consent. Visit covid-19-vaccine-eligibility for information on when you should be vaccinated based on the type of vaccine you should receive, your age, your health status, and if you recently had a COVID-19 infection.

Preparing for a 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, 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).