Hello Ward 8 Neighbours,
Starting Wednesday, December 21 Hamiltonians five years of age and older will be eligible for a bivalent COVID-19 booster dose this respiratory illness season.
For more details, please continue reading below…
HAMILTON, ON – Following Health Canada approval of the Pfizer bivalent vaccine and in alignment with direction from the Ontario Government, effective Wednesday, December 21, 2022, Hamiltonians five years of age and older will be eligible for a bivalent COVID-19 booster dose this respiratory illness season, as long as they meet eligibility criterion, including:
- They’ve completed their primary vaccine series (received a first and second dose);
- Recommended six months (recommended three months for those high-risk) since their most recent dose; and
- They have not been infected with COVID-19 over the past three months.
Protect yourself and your loved ones this winter, stay up to date on vaccination
The bivalent booster targets the original COVID-19 virus and provides better protection against the variants currently circulating. With COVID-19 and a number of other respiratory illnesses present in Hamilton, it is important that everyone gets vaccinated to protect themselves and those around them from severe outcomes of COVID-19 and Influenza, and reduce the pressure on Hamilton’s significantly strained healthcare capacity, including McMaster Children’s Hospital.
Hamilton Public Health Services and its Hamilton Healthcare Partners are recommending all community members five years of age and older stay up to date with vaccination and book an appointment for a bivalent COVID-19 booster at hamilton.ca/GetYourVaccine as soon as they are eligible. Appointments can be booked on Hamilton’s booking tool 14 days in advance, with new appointment dates being added daily and clinic listings updated regularly. Residents are also strongly encouraged to check with the 100+ local pharmacies that are offering bivalent COVID-19 booster doses.
Walk-ins are being offered for community members six months of age and over to receive a flu shot and/or a monovalent COVID-19 vaccine at Hamilton Public Health Services clinics. Information on locations for getting a flu shot can be found at hamilton.ca/flu.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact our office here.