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Getting your COVID-19 vaccine
How do I get a COVID-19 vaccine?
You can register yourself or your child to get vaccinated with the Get Vaccinated System. You can register online or by phone. After you register, you will receive a text, email, or phone call when it's your turn to book a vaccine appointment.
Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as other vaccines?
Yes. COVID-19 vaccines can be given at the same time as other vaccines.
There is currently limited data on giving COVID-19 vaccines at the same time as other vaccines. However, experience with other (non-COVID-19) vaccines has shown that immune responses and side effects are generally similar whether vaccines are given at the same time as other vaccines or on their own.
Recent studies have looked at people who received the COVID-19 vaccine and influenza vaccine at the same time. These studies found no safety concerns and showed similar immune responses between people who received the vaccines at the same time and those who received them separately.
Getting the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as other vaccines is safe, means fewer vaccine appointments, and ensures you or your child are protected sooner.
Getting children and youth immunized (COVID-19)
Why should my child or youth get vaccinated against COVID-19? Doesn’t it usually cause mild illness in children and youth?
While most children and youth who get COVID-19 have a minor illness, some (including those that are previously healthy) can get very sick. The chance of getting very sick is higher for children and youth who are not fully vaccinated or have certain medical conditions.
Children and youth who get COVID-19:
- Can get a severe lung infection and heart issues like myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).
- Are at risk of developing a serious but rare condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). MIS-C is caused by an exaggerated immune response, leading to severe widespread inflammation. It can happen several weeks after infection and usually requires hospitalization. Most children in Canada who have had this condition have fully recovered with treatment.
- May feel sick for weeks or months after the initial illness. This is called Post-COVID-19 condition or "long COVID."
Vaccinating children can also help protect others, including family members and those most at risk. Vaccination can also make it less likely that children will miss out on important activities, like daycare, preschool, sports, and social events.
Are COVID-19 vaccines safe for children and youth?
COVID-19 vaccination is safe for children and youth. The vaccines were shown to be safe for children and youth in clinical trials. Since approval, millions of children and youth in Canada and around the world have safely received COVID-19 vaccines, and ongoing safety monitoring continues to show that these vaccines are safe for this age group.
There is a very strict process to test and approve vaccines in Canada. Health Canada only approves a vaccine if the data from clinical trials show the vaccine is safe and effective and that the vaccine's benefits outweigh any risks. Once a vaccine is approved for use, its safety is continuously monitored.
I heard that children and youth don’t transmit the COVID-19 virus to others. So how does my child or youth getting vaccinated help protect others?
Just like adults, children and youth can transmit (spread) COVID-19 to others.
- Early in the pandemic, children and teens were not often identified as spreaders of COVID-19. However, this was mostly because schools and activities were closed or not held in person.
- Since things have opened up again, outbreaks among teens at camps, sporting events, and schools show that teens spread COVID-19.
- Further, studies that looked at the risk of children and teens spreading COVID-19 to others in their households showed that they do spread the virus.
- Children and teens can spread COVID-19 to others when they do not have symptoms.
COVID-19 Vaccine Safety
I heard that COVID-19 vaccines have caused death in children. Is this true?
The pediatric COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were shown to be safe for children in clinical trials. We also have real-world data as millions of children have safely received the pediatric mRNA vaccines. Vaccine safety monitoring shows that:
- The mRNA pediatric vaccines are safe.
- Side effects are mostly mild.
- Serious side effects are rare.
While there have been reports of death in children following COVID-19 vaccination in the US, there is no evidence that the vaccine caused the deaths.
- A vaccine’s safety is continuously monitored after approval through the reporting of adverse events (an adverse event is an unexpected medical event that happens after vaccination that may or may not have been caused by the vaccine).
- A report of a death or other adverse event following vaccination does not mean that the vaccine caused it.
- All reports of adverse events are investigated to determine if the event was caused by the vaccine or by something else that happened around the same time the vaccine was given.
- The reporting of adverse events helps keep vaccines safe and helps ensure that the benefits continue to outweigh any risks.
- For a vaccination program to continue, the benefits of the vaccine must outweigh any known or potential risks.
How were COVID-19 vaccines developed and approved so quickly? How do we know they are safe?
The development of COVID-19 vaccines happened quickly for many reasons, including:
- Advances in science and technology.
- International collaboration among scientists, researchers, health professionals, industry, and governments.
- Increased dedicated funding.
No clinical trial phases or safety steps were skipped in the development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines and all steps were taken to ensure their safety and effectiveness.
What was different for COVID-19 vaccines was that:
- The three phases of clinical trials overlapped to speed up the process (normally the phases are performed one at a time).
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Health Canada used a fast-tracked process that allowed:
- Vaccine manufacturers to submit data as it became available.
- Experts to start the review process right away.
Health Canada only approves a vaccine if it is safe, it works, it meets manufacturing standards, and the benefits outweigh the risks.
Are the spike proteins generated by the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines harmful?
There is no evidence that vaccine-generated spike proteins are harmful.
- The mRNA vaccines work by teaching our cells how to make a harmless spike protein that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. The body then makes antibodies to help you fight infection if the COVID-19 virus enters your body.
- Some people are concerned that the spike proteins generated by COVID-19 vaccines can cause harm to the body’s organs or tissues. However, there is no evidence that the vaccine-generated spike proteins cause harm.
- COVID-19 infection, however, can damage many organs and tissues. It is important to focus on the right risk.
- The vaccine-generated spike proteins don't last long in the body; the immune system quickly identifies, attacks, and destroys them.
- Scientists estimate that the spike proteins, like other proteins our bodies create, may stay in the body for up to a few weeks.
Want to know more about this?
Can mRNA COVID-19 vaccines alter a person’s DNA?
No. In this video, Dr. Paul Offit at the Vaccine Education Center explains how mRNA vaccines are not able to alter a person’s DNA for these three reasons:
- Location - mRNA is active in the cytoplasm of a cell, whereas DNA is protected in the cell’s nucleus. The mRNA CANNOT enter the nucleus, so the two nucleic acids are never in the same place in the cell.
- Process - mRNA is not DNA. So, if a person’s DNA were going to be altered, the RNA would have to be made into DNA. This would require a special enzyme that exists only in some viruses. Coronaviruses are not one of them, as they have only single-stranded RNA. This means that when they enter into a cell’s cytoplasm, they don’t need to be translated. Proteins (like the spike protein) can be made directly from the RNA.
- Stability - mRNA is not very stable. Its half-life in human cells is estimated in hours. For purposes of mRNA-based therapies, modifications have been developed to keep the molecule in cells long enough to allow for the therapy to be successful. But even with this, the mRNA will not lead to protein production for more than 10-14 days.
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.
COVID-19 vaccine side effects
How do I report a serious COVID-19 vaccine side effect?
Please report any adverse events (serious or unexpected side effects) to your health care provider or your local health unit. Health care providers are trained to report these events to the correct channels to monitor vaccine safety. Public health also reviews the event and will make a recommendation for future vaccination.
If you have questions about side effects or a possible reaction to the vaccine, contact HealthLinkBC by calling 8-1-1.
Can mRNA vaccines cause inflammation of the heart?
Rare cases of inflammation of the heart (myocarditis and pericarditis) have been reported after getting the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. In Canada, this has occurred at a rate of about 1.7 cases per 100,000 doses of Moderna vaccine and 1.1 cases per 100,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for older children and adults.
Cases are seen more often after the second dose and in males 12-29 years of age. The rate of cases in males 18-29 years of age after the second dose are about 5 times higher with the Moderna vaccine compared to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The rate of cases in younger children is much lower. In the US, this occurred at a rate of about 2.7 cases per 1,000,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine in males 5-11 years of age. Rates for children 6 months to less than 5 years of age are unknown at this time. It is expected that cases will be very rare and rates will be lower than the rates for those older than 5 years of age.
Typically, this condition has been mild to moderate. People have recovered with or without treatment. The risk of myocarditis is much greater following COVID-19 infection than following vaccination.
Are there long-term side effects caused by mRNA COVID-19 vaccines?
The medical and scientific community is confident in the long-term safety of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for several reasons:
- The history of vaccines shows that delayed effects after vaccination can happen. But when they do, these effects tend to happen within six weeks of receiving a vaccine. This is why regulators in Canada and many other countries require at least eight weeks of safety data before approving a vaccine.
- The mRNA vaccines have been in development for many years and have been studied before for flu, Zika, rabies, and cytomegalovirus (CMV). In addition, cancer research has used mRNA to trigger the immune system to target specific cancer cells. Decades of studying mRNA vaccines have shown no long-term side effects.
- Canada’s vaccine safety system has proven time and again that the data necessary to get through the approval process is sufficient to prove safety, even for the long term. The data and safety tests for the mRNA vaccines met the same standards as other vaccines that have been approved in Canada.
COVID-19 vaccine ingredients
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.
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.
Where can I find more information?
- Infectious disease expert James Lawler, MD, MPH answers the question: “Do the COVID-19 vaccines contain aborted fetal cells?”
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website.
- History of Vaccines website.
Are there any animal products (including pork) in the mRNA or viral vector vaccines COVID-19 vaccines?
Animal and human cell cultures may be used in the process of making mRNA or viral vector COVID-19 vaccines, but the vaccines do not contain animal or human cells or tissue. The purification process removes nearly all of the cell components so that only trace amounts of DNA and protein may be present in the vaccine.
- In this video, Dr. Ayesha Raza, Family Physician and Women’s Health Specialist at the Centre Francophone de Toronto, explains that the COVID-19 vaccines authorized in Canada do not contain pork or pork products.
- In this video, Dr. Ayesha Raza, Family Physician and Women’s Health Specialist at the Centre Francophone de Toronto, explains that, yes, COVID-19 vaccines are considered Halal.
Are there blood products in any of the COVID-19 vaccines?
Human blood products are not typically found in vaccines. The exceptions to this are two rabies vaccines (Imovax® Rabies and RabAvert®) that contain albumin derived from human blood. There are no blood products in the COVID-19 vaccines that are currently approved in Canada. This could change if more vaccines with different ingredients are approved; for an up-to-date list of ingredients in vaccines, click on the vaccine name on Health Canada's Approved COVID-19 Vaccines page.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, fertility, and menstruation (COVID-19)
Can COVID-19 vaccines affect the menstrual cycle (period)?
Recent studies have shown that people who menstruate may observe small, temporary changes in menstruation after COVID-19 vaccination, including:
- Longer menstrual periods.
- Shorter time between periods.
- Heavier bleeding than usual.
Despite these temporary changes in menstruation, there is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause fertility problems.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe for pregnant people, people who are planning a pregnancy, and people who are breastfeeding?
COVID-19 vaccination is safe and recommended for pregnant people, people who are planning a pregnancy, and people who are breastfeeding.
Hundreds of thousands of pregnant or breastfeeding people around the world have safely received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Large studies found no increase in rates of pregnancy loss, preterm birth, or stillbirth.
Pregnant people are at higher risk of experiencing severe outcomes from COVID-19, including severe illness, hospitalization, admission to an intensive care unit, and invasive mechanical ventilation. Getting COVID-19 during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of pregnancy-related complications, including premature birth, low birth weight, and infant admission to a neonatal intensive care unit.
COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy helps protect against these serious outcomes for the pregnant person and their baby.
Pregnant people 12 or older can get a booster dose as early as 3 months after their initial vaccination series. You can be at any stage of your pregnancy. If you haven't received an invite yet, call 1-833-838-2323 and self-identify as pregnant.
Does the COVID-19 vaccine affect fertility?
Millions of people have received an mRNA vaccine in Canada and around the world. Data has shown no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause fertility problems.
COVID-19 vaccination is strongly recommended for people who are planning a pregnancy. Those intending to become pregnant don't need to delay pregnancy after vaccination with an mRNA vaccine.
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