COVID-19 Vaccines
What you need to know about getting a COVID-19 vaccination
Health Canada advises that over time, protection from COVID-19 vaccines can decrease. Booster doses trigger your immune system to make more antibodies, which can increase the immune response and help improve protection against COVID-19. Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, will help protect you from severe COVID-19 disease.
Read more information from Health Canada on COVID-19 vaccines.
Select Pharmasave pharmacies are administering COVID-19 vaccines to eligible residents. Click on your province below for details.
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What is Pharmasave’s role in COVID-19 vaccinations?
As determined by federal and provincial governments, Pharmasave’s certified injection pharmacists will administer the vaccine safely and effectively to people who are eligible based on the provincial government’s recommendations. For information about Pharmasave stores providing the COVID-19 vaccine in your province, click on your province from the list above.
Which COVID-19 vaccines are presently approved for use in Canada?
To date, the following vaccines have been authorized for use in Canada:
How safe and effective are the COVID-19 vaccines?
Studies for each of the approved COVID-19 vaccines in Canada were conducted in different populations around the world, at different times during the pandemic and not in head-to-head comparative studies. Numerous scientific, peer-reviewed studies have shown that all the approved COVID-19 vaccines in Canada have gone through rigorous testing and clinical trials to ensure they meet the highest safety standard. All the approved vaccines have shown high efficacy in the most important outcomes: reducing severe symptoms of COVID-19, hospitalization, and death.
Are there any side effects associated with receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?
Serious adverse effects from any COVID vaccine are rare. Common adverse events include injection site pain, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain. Health Canada is closely monitoring any reports of adverse events from the population as people receive the vaccine, and there have been no reports of unexpected side effects from patients to date. Anyone who witnesses or experiences an adverse reaction to the vaccine is encouraged to report the reaction to their health care provider. Read more about COVID-19 vaccine safety and common side effects here.
Can COVID-19 vaccines be administered in different dosing intervals?
Generally, vaccine manufacturing companies and national vaccine advisory bodies specify the shortest acceptable timeframe (minimum interval) between vaccine doses but do not specify maximum intervals. For many vaccines, a longer interval to the booster dose results in higher antibody levels. High antibody levels are associated with longer protection time. The goal is to complete the vaccine schedule and get the total recommended number of doses. NACI has published guidance on dosing intervals (click here to see table). However, each province or territory will decide on dosing interval, based on such factors as vaccine supply, distribution challenges, and how vaccine coverage is progressing in their populations.
Should I get a COVID-19 Booster shot?
Health Canada advises that over time, protection from COVID-19 vaccines can decrease. Booster doses trigger your immune system to make more antibodies, which can increase the immune response and help improve protection against COVID-19. Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, will help protect you from severe COVID-19 disease.
Read more information from Health Canada on COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses.
