Can I get MRNA vaccine for a visitor to Ontario?

July 13, 2022 11:22 AM

I know someone who will be visiting Ontario. She has three doses of (I think) Sinovac, but maybe a Russian vaccine. Can I help her access an MRNA vaccine while she is in Ontario? She will be here 6 weeks. She is elderly, if relevant. She is not a citizen or resident.
posted by If only I had a penguin... to Grab Bag (4 answers total)

I am a recent immigrant to Canada and I was able to get full mRNA vaccination before I had permanent resident status or provincial insurance, by going to mass clinics and waiting in line. I did have an Ontario driver's license at the time, though, which made checking in easier. I don't know for sure whether they would have taken me with no ID or foreign ID, but it seemed like the point of asking for it was to get my vaccination recorded in the public health database, not to determine eligibility or anything like that. They were chiefly interested in getting as many people vaccinated as possible (this was during the big rollout last summer).

I would recommend looking for information about "low-barrier clinics," or calling the public health unit for the area she will be staying in; they should be able to help you locate resources.
posted by Ryon at 12:14 PM on July 13, 2022

(You shouldn't need to get overly specific about her residence or citizenship when talking to the PHU. The relevant info is that she doesn't have an OHIP card or Canadian ID).
posted by Ryon at 12:18 PM on July 13, 2022

Side note: she needs to figure out what her vaccine is...she has to provide proof on ArriveCAN, and if it's not on the accepted list (Sinovac is), she may not even be allowed to enter, and she will have to quarantine.
posted by praemunire at 12:48 PM on July 13, 2022 [2 favorites]

You can get vaccines for non-residents. From the city of Toronto FAQ:

Everyone aged 5 and older, without OHIP cards, may get vaccinated at any clinic or pharmacy clinic offering COVID-19 vaccines. Appointments for City immunization clinics must be made through the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900.

Required Identification
For all clinics, bring an acceptable form of identification which may include non-Canadian and expired documents such as a driver’s licence or passport, a piece of mail with your name on it, a pay stub or a student card.


Her already having been vaccinated elsewhere may throw a wrinkle into things in terms of timing, but not much else.
posted by jacquilynne at 1:32 PM on July 13, 2022 [3 favorites]