COVID-19 Vaccines - 2025/2026 | Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Everyone 6 months and older is now eligible for their next dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Some highlights:

Everyone is now eligible for their next dose of COVID-19 and a flu shot.
- High risk groups continue to be eligible.
Thunder Bay - The TBDHU clinic scheduled for the CLE is now full.
- COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine are available at pharmacies.
District Communities - Visit TBDHU.com/districtvaccines for more information on clinics that are available and how to book.
Participating pharmacies and health care providers will offer the flu vaccine, along with COVID-19 vaccine; use the Ontario locator website to find a pharmacy and call ahead to be sure. Anyone 6 months and older can receive their COVID-19 dose from a pharmacist.
Learn more about other vaccines that are recommended for specific groups:
- RSV vaccine: Protection for infants and expanded eligibility for high-risk older adults in 2025/2026.
- Pneumococcal vaccine: For more information on this vaccine often referred to as the "pneumonia vaccine", visit TBDHU.com/pneumo.
  - This vaccine is recommended for those who are 65 years and older and those of any age with specific underlying medical conditions. Individuals who are 65 years and older with an certain underlying health conditions may be eligible for a second dose if it has been at least a year since their first dose.

What you need to know about COVID-19 vaccines:

You will be offered a Health Canada–approved vaccine that’s appropriate for your age.
As soon as it is available to you, get your annual COVID-19 shot (and flu shot).
It is safe and recommended to receive the annual COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot, and the RSV vaccine for eligible older adults, at the same time.
Don't delay waiting for a specific brand, any available vaccine is better than waiting.
All COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and provide strong protection against serious illness.
Side effects after COVID-19 vaccination vary from person to person, but most people experience none.
Protect yourself and your community through vaccination.

Eligibility

Everyone is now eligible

Everyone is now eligible for a their next dose of COVID-19 vaccine, along with a flu shot, if they are 6 months and older and live, work or study in Ontario.

High Risk and Priority Groups

The following groups have been eligible since the beginning of the season and continue to be eligible.

Eligible Fall 2025 AND Spring 2026: Individuals listed below should receive a dose of COVID-19 vaccine, along with a flu shot, as soon as the vaccine is available to them. Those listed below are also eligible for an additional dose in the spring of 2026.

individuals 6 months of age and older with underlying medical conditions, including children with complex health needs; a list of these complex needs is available from the Government of Canada website
adults 65 years of age and older
- National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends that those 80 years and older should receive an additional dose of vaccine while those 65 to 79 years of age may receive an additional dose of vaccine in the spring.
adult residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings for seniors
individuals 6 months of age and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised (due to an underlying condition or treatment); see the list below
individuals 55 years and older who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis and their non-Indigenous household members who are 55 years and older

Eligible Fall 2025 and Spring 2026: Those who are considered moderately to severely immunocompromised are recommended to get their next dose, along with a flu shot, as soon as the vaccine is available to them. Those listed below are also eligible for an additional dose in the spring of 2026.

solid tumour or hematologic malignancies or treatments for these conditions
solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy
hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy)
immunocompromised due to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy targeting lymphocytes
moderate to severe primary immunodeficiency with associated humoral and/or cell-mediated immunodeficiency or immune dysregulation
HIV with AIDS-defining illness or TB diagnosis in last 12 months before starting vaccine series, or severe immune compromise with CD4 ‹ 200 cells/µL or CD4<15%, or without HIV viral suppression
recent treatment with the following categories of immunosuppressive therapies:
- anti-B cell therapies (monoclonal antibodies targeting CD19, CD20 and CD22)
- high-dose systemic corticosteroids
- alkylating agents
- antimetabolites
- tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors
- other biologic agents that are significantly immunosuppressive
chronic kidney disease on dialysis

Contact your health-care provider if you have received any of the following since your most recent COVID-19 vaccination(s) as you may be recommended to be re-vaccinated due to loss of immunity following transplant or therapy:

a hematopoietic stem cell transplant
hematopoietic cell transplant (autologous or allogeneic)
a (CAR)-T-cell therapy

Eligible Fall 2025: Other priority groups are also recommended to receive their next dose, along with a flu shot, as soon as it is available.

The other priority groups include:

children 6 months to 4 years of age
individuals with significant exposure to birds or mammals through interactions with birds or mammals (such as poultry, livestock, slaughterhouse and processing plant workers, wildlife officers/researchers, and veterinarians)
those at increased risk of exposure or severe outcomes including:
- residents in long-term care homes and other congregate living settings who are aged 17 years and under
- pregnant individuals
- individuals from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities who are aged 54 years and under
- members of racialized and other equity-denied communities
- health-care workers and other care providers in facilities and community settings as outlined in the guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI)

COVID-19 vaccination timing

Those who have completed their initial series are recommended to receive their fall dose if it has been at least 3 months (84 days) since their last dose.
A spring dose is also recommended for those who are part of the specific groups at high-risk of infection (also listed above).
Those who below to the two groups listed below should read the recommendations in the links provided:
- have tested positive for COVID-19
- are pregnant or breastfeeding

Pharmacies

Find a pharmacy that is offering COVID-19 vaccines by using the Ontario locator website OR call ahead to confirm. Anyone 6 month and older can receive a COVID-19 vaccine from a pharmacist.
- Pharmacies also offer flu vaccine to anyone 2 or older.
- Children under 2 cannot receive a flu shot from a pharmacist and must receive the vaccine from a health care provider.
- Children under 2 without a health care provider can book an appointment at the TBDHU clinic in Thunder Bay (999 Balmoral) using the online vaccine clinic booking system OR at a district clinic (visit TBDHU.com/districtvaccines for more information).

Health Care Providers

Contact your provider to ask if they are offering COVID-19 and flu vaccines.

TBDHU Clinics

Thunder Bay

The clinics are full for 2025/2026.
- COVID-19 vaccines, along with the flu vaccine, are available from pharmacies and health care providers. See the information above.
RSV vaccines are still recommended for those who are eligible including anyone who is 75 and older and has never received the vaccine.
- This vaccine is NOT available at pharmacies, only through a health care provider.
- Those who are eligible can book with their health care provider OR book an appointment at the TBDHU clinic in Thunder Bay (999 Balmoral) using the online vaccine clinic booking system OR at a district clinic (visit TBDHU.com/districtvaccines for more information).
Pneumococcal (see the pneumococcal web page for eligibility)
- This vaccine is NOT available at pharmacies, only through a health care provider.
- Those who are eligible can book with their health care provider OR book an appointment at the TBDHU clinic in Thunder Bay (999 Balmoral) using the online vaccine clinic booking system OR at a district clinic (visit TBDHU.com/districtvaccines for more information).

District Communities

District community vaccine clinics will offer appointments for COVID-19 vaccine to anyone 6 months and older. The flu shot and the RSV vaccine will also be offered to those who are eligible and who make an appointment to receive COVID-19 vaccine.
- Visit TBDHU.com/districtvax for details.

Indigenous Led Clinics

ONWA Mindimooyenh Health Clinic is open for vaccine appointments; primary care is not available at this time.
- Call 807-697-1753 to book an appointment
ONWA Mindimooyenh Health Clinic is open to everyone who is Indigenous, lives in an Indigenous household, or works in an Indigenous community.

For more information about Ontario's other respiratory season campaigns:

Flu Vaccine: Visit TBDHU.com/fluvax
RSV Protection: Visit TBDHU.com/rsvvax for details regarding who is eligible.