No. You cannot be forced to get vaccinated, but some workplaces are choosing to make vaccination a condition of employment.

Child welfare staff, including those working in children’s residential spaces, as well as foster, kin and customary caregivers are articulated in Phase 2 of the province’s 3-staged vaccination plan that is scheduled to run from April to June 2021.

The exact timing of your own vaccine might depend on where you live, vaccine supply, and the type of role you have. You can read more about Phase 2 priority here.

We continue to advocate that everyone connected to a child or youth intersecting with child welfare receive the vaccine during Phase 2. By adopting an approach with the child/youth at the center, it will assist us to:

1. minimize the risk of infection;
2. prioritize the most vulnerable;
3. resolve ongoing mental health crises being experienced by vulnerable children, youth, and families; and
4. stabilize the service delivery to Ontario’s children and families.

Unfortunately, within that, there may be some determinations as to who qualifies first based on factors such as role, supply, and geography (for example, in Phase 1 they started vaccinating people in the areas with the highest rates of infection first), which mean you may have to wait.

You might be asked to wait if you aren’t in a client facing role or can work from home. But the good news is that although Phase 3 was expected to start in July, recent projections about vaccine supply have moved this timeline up. We now expect Phase 3, when vaccines are open to the general population, to be sooner, so you won’t have to wait much longer!

This varies by community and to be honest, is changing every day. It’s important to stay connected with your agency or your local Public Health Unit. 

The goal is to increase the accessibility of clinics so there are many different options in communities ranging from offices to arenas. Many Public Health Units have already launched online booking sites and are piloting clinics at pharmacies and doctors’ offices.

Likely not. To date, people have not been given a choice of what vaccine to receive.  Canada has contracts with several vaccine manufacturers with five currently available: Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Covishield (developed by AstraZeneca), and Johnson & Johnson. It’s possible that more options will be approved before the end of the campaign, but which Public Health Unit gets what will depend on the needs of the community and their ability to store and administer it appropriately.

We aren’t sure. The logistics for Phase 3 are not yet known. Because of that, and in line with public health advice, our recommendation is to be vaccinated as soon as possible to avoid illness and help safeguard the sector and the vulnerable populations we serve.

Immunocompromised people, pregnant, or breastfeeding women are currently not excluded from receiving the vaccine. However, this decision should be discussed with your treating physician to understand if receiving the vaccine is right for you.

No. The government of Canada is paying for the COVID-19 vaccines.

The current consent form has a spot for your Health Card number so if you don’t have a valid Ontario health card and/or do not have permanent status in Canada, it is suggested that you raise this ahead of time (where possible) with the vaccine clinic to understand any individual processes that may apply. But you are still eligible!

Organizations will each have their own policy on this matter, so please check with your organization’s HR Department for information specific to your circumstances.

Fortunately, we know from Public Health that the adverse effects from the COVID-19 vaccine are generally mild. If this is an issue for you post-vaccine, contact your organization’s HR Department to understand your entitlements specific to your circumstance. 

The answers to these questions will depend on circumstance and role, and they should be directed to your organization’s HR department. 

If you know now that you are unable to take the vaccine due to medical, religious, or other reasons, we suggest discussing it with your employer or the organization you work with as soon as possible.

Safe and reliable vaccines can help protect you, your family and community from COVID-19 which, to date, has killed over 2.6 million people worldwide. Vaccines are an important tool to help stop the spread of the virus, build immunity in Ontario, and allow us to safely resume normal life.

When a large percentage of the population becomes immune to COVID-19, the spread of the virus will slow down or stop.

We know there is misinformation out there that can be alarming. We encourage everyone to take the time to become educated on the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. S. Ranade, the Medical Officer of Health for the County of Lambton and Lambton Public Health did a ‘Vaccine 101’ presentation for almost 1,300 people from the sector on March 8 and answered lots of these questions. If you missed it, you can watch it here.