You are here

Immunize BC > Resources

FAQ

Select a category from the dropdown menu to browse frequently asked questions by topic, or search the entire FAQ or a specific category by keyword.

COVID-19 vaccine

I did not get an invitation to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, I deleted the invite, I need to reschedule an appointment, I did not receive a booking confirmation, or I need help booking an appointment. What should I do?
You must be registered with the Get Vaccinated system to get an invitation. If you haven't yet received or can't find your invitation, check that your contact information is up to date.
 
If you need help booking an appointment or have other questions about your appointment, call 1-833-838-2323. 
 
Shareable link
Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as other vaccines?
COVID-19 vaccines can be safely given at the same time or any time before or after any other live or inactivated vaccine. This includes the influenza vaccine. 
 
If you are getting a COVID-19 vaccine you do not need to delay getting an influenza vaccine. 
 
If you get any two vaccines at the same time or close together the health care provider will usually administer the vaccines in different arms/limbs.
 
Shareable link
Where can I find a list of the ingredients in the COVID-19 vaccines currently approved for use in Canada?

The Government of Canada website lists the ingredients in each COVID-19 vaccine. Click on the vaccine name and you will be taken to a page that lists the ingredients in that vaccine. Vaccine ingredients vary by manufacturer. 

 

Shareable link
Do COVID-19 vaccines contain fetal cells? Were abortions performed to make the vaccines?
Vaccines do not contain fetal cells, and no abortions are performed to make vaccines. This includes COVID-19 vaccines. 
 
Some vaccines are made by growing the vaccine viruses in human fetal cell lines. However, the vaccines themselves do not contain fetal cells or tissue. The purification process removes nearly all the cell components so that only trace amounts of DNA and protein may be present in the vaccine. 
 
Fetal cell lines are used to test and develop many common over-the-counter and prescribed medications, including antacids and cold medications.
 
Are COVID-19 vaccines made using fetal cell lines?
 
  • Fetal cell lines were used to make the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine and the AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) vaccine. However, the vaccines themselves do not contain fetal cells or tissue. The purification process removes nearly all the cell components so that only trace amounts of DNA and protein may be present in the vaccine. 
  • Fetal cell lines were not used to make the Moderna (Spikevax) and Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. However, the cell lines were used in the very early stages of research and development of these vaccines to test 'proof of concept’ (to test that the vaccines could work).
What fetal cell lines are used? 
 
  • The AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) vaccine uses the HEK 293 fetal cell line, and the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine uses the PER.C6 fetal cell line. However, the vaccines themselves do not contain fetal cells or tissue. The purification process removes nearly all the cell components so that only trace amounts of DNA and protein may be present in the vaccine. 
  • The Moderna (Spikevax) and Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) COVID-19 vaccines used the fetal cell line HEK 293 in the very early stages of research and development. It was not used to make these vaccines. 
  • The HEK 293 and PER.C6 fetal cell lines descend from cells taken from fetuses aborted in the 1970s and 1980s. The fetuses were not aborted to make vaccines.
Why are fetal cell lines used?
 

Fetal cell lines are used with some vaccines because viruses need to be grown in cells and human cells are often better than animal cells at supporting the growth of human viruses. 

Vaccine manufacturers may use these fetal cell lines during the following two phases:  
 
  • Research and development 
  • Production and manufacturing  
Fetal cell lines are used in scientific and medical research and in the research and development of most medical products available today.
 
What are fetal cell lines?
 
Fetal cell lines are cells that are grown in a laboratory. They descend from cells taken from fetuses aborted in the 1970s and 1980s that have since multiplied into many new cells over the past four or five decades, creating the fetal cell lines. The fetuses were not aborted to make vaccines. Current fetal cell lines are thousands of generations removed from the original fetal tissue. They do not contain any tissue from a fetus. 
 

What does the Catholic church say about the use of fetal cell lines in vaccines?

The Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life declared in 2005 and reaffirmed in 2017 that in the absence of alternatives, Catholics could, in good conscience, receive vaccines made using historical human fetal cell lines. In December 2020, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith provided a note on the morality of using some anti-Covid-19 vaccines.
 
Shareable link
Is it safe to get the COVID-19 vaccine if I use marijuana/cannabis?
Yes, people who use any type of marijuana or cannabis can safely receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 
 
However, when it’s time for your appointment, we recommend that you not be high. This is not because of a vaccine safety concern (that marijuana interferes with the vaccine) but because the healthcare provider needs your informed consent before giving vaccines. Marijuana may impair (lessen) your ability to fully understand the health information and to ask questions.
 
There is emerging evidence suggesting that smoking can have negative consequences on a person's respiratory system and immune competence, so it’s even more important to get a COVID-19 vaccine to protect yourself from the virus if you smoke.
 
ImmunizeBC does not have specific recommendations around cannabis use after any vaccine, including the COVID-19 vaccines. This is because there are no studies around cannabis use and the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines. 
Shareable link

Did you find what you were looking for? If not, suggest a question for our team to answer.