COVID-19 Vaccines

The COVID-19 vaccine protects against the SARS-CoV-2 virus (also known as COVID-19).
Vaccination for COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Canada are free. They're available to priority populations first. They'll then be available to everyone in Canada who is recommended to get the vaccine by federal, provincial and territorial public health authorities.

Only vaccines that are safe and effective are approved for use in Canada. Canada is recognized around the world for its high standards for drug and vaccine review, approvals and monitoring systems.

Although the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for Canada were developed in a condensed time frame, the science behind them was not rushed. These vaccines were tested in thousands of people and the results have demonstrated that they are safe for you and your family.

The Government of Canada provides more information about the authorized COVID-19 vaccines for Canada, types of vaccines, producing vaccines, and on-going safety monitoring.

A COVID-19 vaccine will help:

• prevent you from getting COVID-19
• prevent you from spreading the COVID-19 virus to others
• add to the number of people in the community who are protected from getting COVID-19, making it harder for the disease to spread and contributing to herd immunity (i.e., the point where disease is no longer likely to spread)
• prevent the COVID-19 virus from spreading and replicating, which allows it to mutate and possibly become more resistant to vaccines

No, the COVID-19 vaccine cannot give you COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccination provides our cells with instructions on how to produce a copy of a protein that is found on the surface of the COVID-19 virus. Our bodies recognize this protein which is what starts our immune response.

Keep in mind that it will take a few weeks for your body to build immunity after getting a COVID-19 vaccination. As a result, it's possible that you could become infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or after being vaccinated.

According to Health Canada:

• Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are expected to be more than 94% effective after two doses - that is twice as effective as the seasonal flu shot.
• The AstraZeneca vaccine is about 62% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 disease beginning two weeks after the second dose.
• The Janssen vaccine is expected to be 66% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 disease beginning 2 weeks after vaccination. Immunity develops over time.

More vaccines may become available. Please visit the Government of Canada website for information about the authorized COVID-19 vaccines for Canada and their effectiveness.

Remember, it is still important to practice recommended public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, even if you have had the vaccine. This includes:

• following guidelines of when to wear a mask or other equipment that helps protect you
• washing your hands often
• staying 2 metres away from others
• staying home when you are sick (this means isolating)
• staying home for 14 days after having close contact with someone who has COVID-19 or after returning from travel outside of Canada (this means quarantining)

There is no "good" COVID-19 vaccine or "bad" COVID-19 vaccine. Although there are differences in levels of effectiveness, all authorized vaccines will greatly reduce your risk of severe illness.

You may not have the option to choose between the available authorized vaccines in Canada. If you are able to receive a vaccine, please take what is available to you. The longer you wait, the higher your risk of getting sick or spreading the infection to others

No, it is impossible to change your DNA. There is no relationship between messenger RNA (mRna) in vaccine and your DNA.

mRNA is part of a new approach to vaccines. It sends a unique instruction to specific cells for them to make the "spike protein" that is found on the new coronavirus. When the immune system sees this spike protein that are produced by the cells, it mounts an immune response by creating antibodies that will bind specifically with the spike protein removing it from causing further harm and teaching the body how to protect against future infection. The mRNA never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA (genetic material) is kept. The body gets rid of the mRNA naturally after it message has been use the targeted cells.

For information on the vaccination rollout plans in your province or territory, please refer to your provincial or territorial website, or click on the links below:

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Nunavut
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Saskatchewan
• Yukon

Early research suggests that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines can provide protection against the COVID-19 variants identified in the U.K. and South Africa. Vaccine manufacturers are also looking into creating booster shots to improve protection against variants.

More vaccines may become available. Please visit the Government of Canada website for more information about the authorized COVID-19 vaccines for Canada.

More research is being done to determine how long the vaccine protection lasts, and if it will prevent others around you from getting sick with COVID-19. Vaccine manufacturers are also looking into creating booster shots to improve protection against new variants of the COVID-19 virus.

The vaccines will protect individuals who have receive it from getting sick. However, it is possible that someone who has been vaccinated could carry the virus or pass it on to others, although it would likely be at a much lower rate.

A COVID-19 vaccine can cause mild side effects after the first or second dose. This is because your body is learning how to fight off the virus. While this is not pleasant, it's actually a sign the vaccine is doing what it is supposed to do. Possible side effects may include:

• Pain, redness or swelling where the shot was given
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Chills
• Joint pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Feeling unwell
• Swollen lymph nodes

You'll likely be monitored for 15 minutes after getting a COVID-19 vaccine to see if you have an immediate reaction. Most side effects happen within the first 3 days after vaccination and typically last only one to two days.

The COVID-19 vaccine may cause side effects similar to signs and symptoms of COVID-19. If you've been exposed to COVID-19 and you develop symptoms more than 3 days after getting vaccinated or the symptoms last more than two days, self-isolate and get tested.

Please visit the Government of Canada's website for more details on possible side effects and vaccine ingredients for each authorized vaccine.

Everyone is at risk of COVID-19. You should get the COVID-19 vaccine if you are age 16 and older.

The vaccine is very important for people who are more likely to be in contact with the virus because of where they work or live. This includes health care providers and people who live in a care facility, such as a nursing home.

It is also important for people who have a high risk of complications from COVID-19 to get this vaccine. This includes people who:

• have health problems such as heart, lung, kidney, or liver problems, high blood pressure, or diabetes
• are overweight
• are over age 60

In Canada, COVID-19 vaccines are available to priority populations first, followed by everyone who is recommended to get the vaccine by federal, provincial and territorial public health authorities.

In Canada, COVID-19 vaccines are available to priority populations first, followed by everyone who is recommended to get the vaccine by federal, provincial and territorial public health authorities. To learn more about who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, including by age, please visit https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/vaccines/how-vaccinated.html#a2

Yes, if you have an underlying medical condition you can get a COVID-19 vaccine, as long as you haven't had an allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine or any of its ingredients. But there is limited information about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines in people who have weakened immune systems or autoimmune conditions. Please consult your medical provider.

To date, there is no evidence that suggests risks to getting vaccinated if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. In fact, there may be benefits to vaccination as pregnant women are at increased risk of severe disease from COVID-19 and pregnancy complications.

Whether you are pregnant now or planning to get pregnant in the future, your first step should be to speak with your obstetrician, midwife or family doctor. They will review the risks and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination to help you decide what is right for you.

If you choose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy or the postpartum period, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends scheduling it at least 14 days before or 14 days after any other vaccination.

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre provides more detailed frequently asked questions about fertility, pregnancy and breastfeeding and the COVID-19 vaccines. For more specific information, please visit the website of your provincial or territorial government or regional health authority.

Vaccines work by engaging the immune system, and you don't want to interfere with that process. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends waiting 14 days between the COVID-19 and other vaccinations.

COVID-19 can pose serious health risks for you and your loved ones. Being vaccinated poses no serious health risks to you or your loved ones.

Natural immunity happens when you get sick and your body builds up protection against that virus so you don't get sick again - or as sick as you did the first time. With COVID-19, we don't know how long natural immunity will last. Essentially, immunity after COVID-19 vaccination is natural immunity because it involves the exact same body response, without you first having to be sick.

Getting COVID-19 might offer some natural protection or immunity from reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19. However, it's not clear how long this protection lasts.

Because reinfection is possible and COVID-19 can cause severe medical complications, it's recommended that people who have already had COVID-19 get a COVID-19 vaccine. If you've had COVID-19, please consult your medical provider if you need to potentially delay vaccination after your diagnosis.

No. While many people only have mild cases of COVID-19, it is very likely that they will infect others because the virus is highly contagious.

It is not possible to predict who will develop serious, or even lethal, COVID-19 disease. Some people with COVID-19 experience long-lasting and/or critical symptoms. The best way to protect your health and the health of others around you is to take all possible precautions, which includes getting vaccinated.

Vaccines are only one layer of protection against COVID-19, so it's not the time to stop taking safety precautions after you get the vaccine. A vaccine will protect you from getting sick from the virus; however, at this point in time, we don't have enough data for us to know if it will keep you from spreading the virus to others.

It is important to continue following your provincial health protocols even after vaccination to avoid spreading infection:

• Avoid close contact. This means avoiding close contact (within about 6 feet, or 2 metres) with anyone who is sick or has symptoms. Also, keep distance between yourself and others. This is especially important if you have a higher risk of serious illness.
• Wear cloth face coverings in public places. Cloth face coverings offer extra protection in places such as the grocery store, where it's difficult to avoid close contact with others. Surgical masks may be used if available. N95 respirators should be reserved for health care providers.
• Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw away the used tissue. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Avoid sharing dishes, glasses, bedding and other household items if you're sick. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily.
• Stay home if you're sick. Stay home from work, school and public areas if you're sick, unless you're going to get medical care. Avoid public transportation, taxis and ride-sharing if you're sick.
• If you have a chronic medical condition and may have a higher risk of serious illness, check with your doctor about other ways to protect yourself.

Researchers have been working on vaccines for the coronavirus family for more than three decades and did not have to start from scratch to develop the COVID-19 vaccines. The COVID-19 vaccines were developed in a condensed time frame, but the science behind them was not rushed.

The development of these vaccines has progressed quickly for many other reasons, including:

• advances in science and technology;
• international collaboration among scientists, health professionals, researchers, industry and governments; and
• increased dedicated funding.

Health Canada has prioritized the review of all COVID-19 drugs and vaccines. If manufacturers apply through the interim order process, the review process can begin right away, including reviewing any new evidence as it becomes available, instead of waiting until all studies are completed. Health Canada has also dedicated more scientific resources to complete these reviews so that they're done quickly but without cutting corners. A similar process was used in 2009 to review and authorize the H1N1 pandemic vaccine.

Health Canada's independent drug authorization process is recognized around the world for its high standards and rigorous review. Decisions are based only on scientific and medical evidence showing that vaccines are safe and effective. The benefits must also outweigh any risks.

Vaccination is a critical tool in our toolbox in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and helping our communities move forward out of this pandemic. Watch this video to learn about COVID-19: How vaccines are developed.

Messenger RNA (mRna) vaccines, like the COVID-19 vaccines currently available in Canada, cannot give you COVID-19 because it doesn't contain the live virus. COVID-19 vaccination provides our cells with instructions on how to produce a copy of a protein that is found on the surface of the COVID-19 virus. Our bodies recognize this protein which is what starts our immune response.

After vaccination, you may experience some fatigue, muscle aches, a headache or a fever. These side effects are completely normal with any vaccine - it's a sign that your immune system is responding.

Get the facts: the Government of Canada offers additional information about vaccine safety and vaccine side effects.

No, this is not true. There is no relationship between mRNA in vaccine and your DNA. mRNA is part of a new approach to vaccines. mRNA sends a unique instruction to specific cells for them to make the "spike protein" that is found on the new coronavirus. When the immune system sees this spike protein that are produced by the cells, it mounts an immune response by creating antibodies that will bind specifically with the spike protein removing it from causing further harm and teaching the body how to protect against future infection. The mRNA never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA (genetic material) is kept. The body gets rid of the mRNA naturally after its message has been used by the targeted cells.

Despite theories that may be circulating on social media, there is no vaccine microchip, and the COVID-19 vaccines will not track people or gather personal information into a database.

According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, this myth started after comments from The Gates Foundation about a digital certificate of vaccine records. The technology referenced is not a microchip, has not been implemented in any manner, and is not tied to the development, testing or distribution of COVID-19 vaccines whatsoever.

Some participants in the vaccine clinical trials reported side effects similar to those experienced with other vaccines, including muscle pain, chills and headaches. Although extremely rare, people can have severe allergic reactions to ingredients used in a vaccine. That's why experts recommend that individuals who have a history of severe allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis, to the ingredients of the COVID-19 vaccines should not get the vaccination.

Visit the Government of Canada's website for authorized vaccines for Canada, ingredients for each vaccine and possible side effects.

If you've already had COVID-19, you may still benefit from getting vaccinated. Researchers also don't know how long someone is protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. Early evidence from case reports where patients have been infected twice with COVID-19 and developed symptoms suggests natural immunity against COVID-19 may not last very long and more studies are needed to better understand this. Natural immunity, or the immunity someone gains from having an infection can also vary from person to person.

It is still recommended to get the COVID-19 vaccine, even if you've previously had COVID-19. Depending on certain circumstances, sometimes vaccines should be delayed for a period of time based on the recommendation of your health care provider. Speak to your health care provider about how long you should delay getting the COVID-19 vaccine if you are currently, or have experienced the following:

• you've already had COVID-19;
• you are in quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19; and/or
• you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

Most people who get COVID-19 are able to recover. However, it's true that some people develop severe complications from the virus. The COVID-19 virus can damage the lungs, heart and brain; it may also cause long-term health complications that experts are still working to fully understand.

Getting vaccinated can significantly reduce the likelihood of more severe illness, but it can also help protect those around you - another good reason for getting vaccinated. Even if you don't get very sick from the COVID-19 virus, the possibility exists that you could pass it on to others who may be more severely affected. Widespread vaccination protects our general population, including those who are most at risk and those who cannot be vaccinated for specific reasons.

Getting vaccinated is one critical tool in our toolbox in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and helping our communities move forward out of this pandemic.

This is simply not true. Even after vaccination, you should continue to wear a mask around others, clean your hands frequently and practice social distancing (2 metres). Here are the reasons why:

• The authorized vaccines for Canada require two doses given a few weeks apart to achieve the best possible immunity.
• You do not have immediate protection against the COVID-19 virus after vaccination. It takes at least a week to 10 days for your body to begin developing antibodies. Those antibodies will then continue to increase over the next several weeks.
• The COVID-19 vaccines were developed and tested for their ability to prevent severe illness and death from COVID-19. Enough research is not yet available on whether the COVID-19 vaccines also protect against asymptomatic infection and spread.

Until a sufficient number of people are immune against COVID-19, more people are getting vaccinated against the virus and experts have a better idea of how long natural and vaccine immunity last, continuing to take all necessary precautions is a must. Public health experts will update their guidance as necessary, as we move forward out of this pandemic.

There is no scientific reason that the vaccine would impact fertility.

To date, there is no evidence that suggests risks to getting vaccinated if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. In fact, there may be benefits to vaccination as pregnant women are at increased risk of severe disease from COVID-19 and pregnancy complications.

Whether you are pregnant now or planning to get pregnant in the future, your first step should be to speak with your obstetrician, midwife or family doctor. They will review the risks and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination to help you decide what is right for you.

If you choose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy or the postpartum period, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends scheduling it at least 14 days before or 14 days after any other vaccination.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive and require more information about getting the COVID-19 vaccines, check out Sunnybrook Health Sciences' FAQ, or contact your health care provider / regional heath authority for further details.

It will still take some time for Canada to be able to vaccinate an adequate number of people to see a substantial drop in COVID-19 cases.

In order to achieve herd immunity, the point where disease is no longer likely to spread, about 70% of the population will need to have been vaccinated or infected. Because of the worldwide pandemic, pharmaceutical companies can only make so many vaccines at a time.

COVID-19 vaccines continue to be made available to everyone in Canada who are recommended to get the vaccine by federal, provincial and territorial public health bodies. Doses of the vaccines are distributed in phases, which began in December 2020. Assuming the continued supply of safe and effective vaccines, the Government of Canada is expecting that there will be enough vaccines to immunize everyone for whom vaccines are approved and recommended throughout 2021.

It is important that we all continue to do our part to help slow the spread of the virus, including wearing a mask, cleaning our hands frequently, and keeping our social distance (2 metres) even after getting vaccinated.