Last updated on September 2, 2022.
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COVID-19 vaccine info for all parents
Protecting kids from COVID-19
Health Canada has approved a COVID-19 vaccine for infants and young children. Now, Canadian kids 6 months and older can get protected against COVID-19's worst.
This vaccine is safe for kids and it works.
It’s been tested extensively – at CHEO and at dozens of other places around the world. It’s proven to protect against severe illness that could mean hospitalization, even death.
Get your child vaccinated at a clinic near you. Learn about the layers of protection to keep safe.
Kids Come First COVID-19 vaccination clinics for children and youth
If your child can’t attend a community vaccination clinic, the Kids Come First Health Team has you covered. We’re finalizing clinic dates and preparing pre-registrations. We can notify you when we issue appointments in the coming days.. Please subscribe to this page by clicking the “Receive email updates” button in the bottom left corner.
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Reasons a child may have difficulty receiving their vaccination in the community include: |
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COVID-19 vaccination clinics at CHEO are open to children and their household members. You don’t need to have any previous experience with CHEO. If this is your first time coming to see us, let us know! We’re happy to help.
COVID-19 vaccination at CHEO for children aged 6 months to under 5 years old
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First and second doses |
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On July 14, 2022 Health Canada approved a COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 months to 5 years old. The Kids Come First Health Team is holding COVID-19 vaccination clinics at CHEO for infants and children 6 months to 5 years old who cannot attend a community vaccination clinic. If your infant/child meets the criteria above, we encourage you to pre-register them to receive their vaccine at CHEO. Please note that pre-registration does not mean you are booking an appointment. We are collecting your information so that we can contact you to book an appointment. |
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Third doses |
| At this time, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) does not recommend third doses for infants and children under 5 years old, and therefore they are unavailable. Please bookmark this page as information about vaccines is always evolving and we continue to keep this page updated. |
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Booster doses |
| At this time, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) does not recommend boosters for infants and children under 5 years old and therefore they are unavailable. Please bookmark this page as information about vaccines is always evolving and we continue to keep this page updated. |
COVID-19 vaccination at CHEO for children aged 5-11 years old
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First and second doses |
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If your child or youth meets the criteria above, we encourage you to pre-register for their COVID-19 vaccine through us. Please note, that pre-registration does not mean you are booking an appointment. We are collecting your information so that we can contact you to book an appointment. We know many of you are keen to get your child their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to help keep them safe—we have good news—your 5-11 year old can now get their second dose at CHEO! If your child received their first dose at CHEO, they should already have their appointment for their second dose booked with us. If your child received their first dose elsewhere, but you feel they need some extra support for their second dose, then we encourage you to pre-register with us. We will then call you to book your child’s second dose. |
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Third doses |
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Did you know a third dose and a booster are two very different things? The majority of people who are healthy only need to receive two doses of the COVID vaccine, and a follow-up booster dose is recommended. However, for people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, a third dose of the vaccine is needed before receiving a booster. The Ontario Ministry of Health has provided very specific guidance on who can and should receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and letters have been sent out to children and youth at CHEO who are eligible to receive their third dose. If you have not received a letter and feel your child/youth meets the criteria for receiving a third dose, please contact your care team at CHEO for more information. Please note that we are unable to provide third doses to anyone who does not meet the criteria outlined by the province. |
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Booster doses |
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Getting a booster will add another layer of protection against the virus. CHEO is currently pre-registering children who needs extra support to get their booster. If your child, 5-11 years old, is eligible for their booster (it has been 6 months since they received their second dose), and needs extra support, please pre-register with us. We will then contact you with an appointment. Your child does not need to have received their first or second dose at CHEO to get their booster from us—we are here to help anyone who needs our support. |
COVID-19 vaccination at CHEO for children aged 12-17 years old
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First and second doses |
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If your child or youth meets the criteria above, we encourage you to pre-register for their COVID-19 vaccine through us. Please note, that pre-registration does not mean you are booking an appointment. We are collecting your information so that we can contact you to book an appointment. We know many of you are keen to get your child their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to help keep them safe—we have good news—your 12-17 year old can now get their second dose at CHEO! If your child received their first dose at CHEO, they should already have their appointment for their second dose booked with us. If your child received their first dose elsewhere, but you feel they need some extra support for their second dose, then we encourage you to pre-register with us. We will then call you to book your child’s second dose. |
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Third doses |
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Did you know a third dose and a booster are two very different things? The majority of people who are healthy only need to receive two doses of the COVID vaccine, and a follow-up booster dose is recommended. However, for people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, a third dose of the vaccine is needed before receiving a booster. The Ontario Ministry of Health has provided very specific guidance on who can and should receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and letters have been sent out to children and youth at CHEO who are eligible to receive their third dose. If you have not received a letter and feel your child/youth meets the criteria for receiving a third dose, please contact your care team at CHEO for more information. Please note that we are unable to provide third doses to anyone who does not meet the criteria outlined by the province. |
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Booster doses |
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Getting a booster will add another layer of protection against the virus. CHEO is currently pre-registering any youth who needs extra support to get their booster. If your youth, 12-17 years old, is eligible for their booster (it has been 6 months since they received their second dose), and needs extra support, please pre-register with us. We will then contact you with an appointment. Your teen does not need to have received their first or second dose at CHEO to get their booster from us—we are here to help anyone who needs our support. |
Canceling or rescheduling your appointment
If your child/youth experiences symptoms of COVID-19 or tests positive for COVID-19 after you have already booked your vaccine appointment at CHEO, please call us and leave a voicemail (613-737-7600 x 5001) so that we can reschedule the appointment if required.
If you need to cancel or reschedule your child’s appointment for any reason, please contact us through our pre-registration form. We will follow up with you by phone or email.
How to reach us
The best way to reach us is to submit (or re-submit) the pre-registration form. We will then contact you directly.
Community vaccination clinics
Ottawa Public Health community vaccination clinics are also available, for children and youth who don’t have a medical condition requiring extra support.
Learn about Ottawa Public Health's mass vaccination clinics across Ottawa |
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Ottawa Public Health has a number of mass vaccination clinics across town which include pediatricians and nurses who have lots of experience vaccinating little ones. If your child or youth does not have a medical condition preventing them from being able to attend a community vaccination clinic, then we strongly encourage you to book their appointment at one of the mass vaccination clinics or after-school vaccination clinics that is most convenient to you. You will be well taken care of. Please visit Ottawa Public Health’s website for the most up-to-date information or head directly to the Provincial Booking Portal to book an appointment. You can also call the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line at 1-833-943-3900 (TTY for people who are deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired: 1-866-797-0007). |
Click through the resources below to find more trusted information on COVID-19 vaccination for children and youth, from CHEO and our partners.
Visit our COVID-19 vaccination FAQ for answers to common questions.
