With Hamiltonians of all ages spending more time indoors in the coming weeks and months, City of Hamilton Public Health Services, community partners and the Ontario government are rolling out a local bivalent COVID-19 vaccine campaign to ensure doses of the bivalent COVID-19 booster are available to everyone who wants an added layer of protection against an anticipated surge of COVID-19 this fall.

The bivalent COVID-19 booster dose offers stronger protection against COVID-19 by targeting the original virus strain and is effective against Omicron subvariants, which are the most common subvariants in Hamilton and across Ontario.

In alignment with direction from the Province, the following populations in Hamilton will be eligible for a bivalent COVID-19 booster dose at a recommended six months (or at a minimum of three months) since their most recent COVID-19 vaccine:

High-risk community members, including:
• Residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes and adults living in congregate settings;
• Individuals who are 70 years of age and older;
• Individuals 12 years of age and over with moderately to severely immunocompromising conditions;
• First Nations, Inuit or Métis individuals who are over 18 years of age and their household members 18+;
• Pregnant individuals 18+; and,
• Healthcare workers.

Vaccines are available beginning Monday, September 12, 2022 at 8am. Individuals can book an appointment through Hamilton’s online booking tool at hamilton.ca/GetYourVaccine.

Community members aged 18 to 69 can get their vaccine, beginning Monday, September 26, 2022 at 8am. Appointments can be booked through a local pharmacy or on Hamilton’s online booking tool 14 days in advance, with new appointment dates being added daily.

Please see the attached news release for more information, or visit hamilton.ca/COVIDvaccines.