Immunization Resources

What to expect

Vaccine orders including COVID-19 vaccines, are filled on a monthly basis, as of May 1, 2023.

Vaccine orders will be available for pick up at a Health Unit office according to the posted schedule. You will be asked to indicate which office when you submit your online order.

You must bring a conditioned cooler with you that is large enough to accommodate your order. During Flu season or with larger orders, you may need multiple coolers or a larger hard sided cooler with ice packs and water blankets.

COVID-19 vaccines must be transported in an upright position and protected from movement to preserve the integrity of the vaccine. You may wish to use a separate cooler for these vaccines.

Packing a Cooler

The MOHLTC has established baseline requirements for receiving publically funded vaccines.

• If you are setting up a new vaccine fridge, you must have it approved prior to receiving any vaccines from Public Health (publically funded, COVID and Influenza).
• This approval process will include an in person visit from one of our staff to provide training on vaccine storage and handling as well as to assess the stability of temperatures in the fridge.

Please see the Vaccine Storage and Handling Protocol, 2018 for further details. Ongoing eligibility includes

• Annual Vaccine Fridge Inspection – similar to the initial set up of a vaccine fridge, a Health Unit staff will arrange for an in person inspection to review current contents and fridge functioning. This will be documented on the Vaccine Cold Chain Maintenance Inspection Report
• Submission of daily temperature logs is required monthly whether or not you are placing a new order for vaccine.
• Send by email to [email protected]

What is a cold chain break?

When you suspect that vaccine has been exposed to temperatures below +2ºC or above +8ºC.

Vaccines may become ineffective if the vaccine fridge temperature readings are below +2ºC and/or above +8ºC for any length of time.

If these vaccines are administered to a patient, they may cause a localized reaction as well as not provide the protection needed.

If you suspect or know you’ve had a cold chain break:

• Do not use and do not discard any of the exposed vaccines at this time.
• Place all of the vaccines in a labelled container (or bag), marked with the date and time and “DO NOT USE.”
• Call the public health unit immediately to report the vaccine exposure. 1-800-660-5853 on voice recognition request “Cold Chain”.
• We need the following information as soon as possible in order to determine if you are still able to use the vaccines, or if they need to be disposed of.
  • Number of vials, lot number and expiration date for all publically funded vaccines in the affected vaccine fridge
  • Recent temperature logs – at least 2 weeks – so we can see patterns of temperatures over time
  • Where is the vaccine now? Back in the fridge, another vaccine fridge?
• To provide us with this information please fill out this online form
  • If you have questions, or need assistance, please contact us at [email protected]
  • The sooner we receive this information, the sooner we can let you know if your vaccines are still viable and may be used.
• You may need to cancel appointments for vaccinations as we are not able to immediately replace your vaccine supply.

Please visit

• MOHLTC website – Influenza vaccine eligibility and timing
• Vaccines for the 2024-25 Influenza Season

Provincial Influenza Vaccine Supply and Distribution Process

The Health Unit has received our first allotment of Influenza vaccines. This allotment is earmarked, as per the Ministry of Health’s Fall Vaccine Campaign, to be distributed to Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes for immediate administration.

In the coming weeks, we will receive further allocations of Influenza vaccines.

We will not be auto-shipping influenza vaccine to primary care. Please use our online vaccine order process.

It is expected that the eligibility for the general population for both COVID-19 and Influenza vaccines will occur by October 28, 2024.

There are steps to complete to order/administer COVID-19 Vaccines in your practice setting.

• A signed MOU agreeing to document administered doses into COVAXon as per MOHLTC requirement
• Staff enrolled in COVAXon
  • If it has been more than 30 days since last log in, account must be reactivated – please send an email to COVAX enrolments [email protected]
  • For any new staff to enroll, please provide their full name and the email address to be used to access COVAX and send to [email protected]

COVID-19 Vaccine

• There have been changes in COVID-19 vaccine availability.
• Moderna KP2 is now available. There is a single vaccine for all age groups, 6 months and older; dosage is age based.
• Pfizer KP2 vaccines are available for 12+ only.
  Please refer to the COVID-19 Vaccine Prep – Quick Reference Chart
• Current COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance

• Report only events which cannot be attributed to co-existing conditions.
• Reactions marked with an asterisk (*) on the form must be diagnosed by a physician.
• Record the time to onset of the event (time between vaccine administration and onset of each event) and the duration of each event in minutes or hours or days.
• If the interval/duration is less than one hour record in minutes, if less than 24 hours record in hours, if greater than or equal to 24 hours record in days
• Please email to [email protected]
• Report of Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Form