Vaccine Information for Physicians

Temperature logs are submitted electronically through the online order form. Public Health will only accept scanned PDFs or photos (jpg format) of temperature logs (PDF file). Please note that the submission must be for one full month leading up to the order date

Vaccine orders submitted on the Wednesday prior to a scheduled delivery date will be processed and delivered for the next scheduled bi-weekly delivery date.

Please note: If you have missed the delivery and will need the vaccines more urgently (e.g. high risk vaccines, post exposure prophylaxis), please call 311 or email accesshalton@halton.ca.

Use the High-Risk Vaccine Order Form (PDF file), if vaccines will be given as part of the Publicly Funded High Risk Vaccine Program (external PDF). This includes orders for Imvamune and vaccines that are recommended for case and contact management.

Use the School-Based Vaccine Order and Reporting Form (PDF file) to order vaccines that are typically given to grade 7 students through in-school immunization clinics.

For direction on how to order RSV immunizing agents, refer to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines require that healthcare providers storing publicly funded vaccines meet specific requirements. If the bi-weekly vaccine distribution schedule will cause issues related to appropriate storage and inventory practices, please call 311 or email accesshalton@halton.ca to discuss options.

The Tuberculin Purified Protein Derivative is a tuberculosis skin testing solution used to aid in the diagnosis of TB infection in persons at increased risk of developing active TB disease. The Tuberculin Purified Protein Derivative can be ordered under "routine vaccines" on the vaccine order form.

HPV, Hepatitis B and Men-C-ACYW-135 vaccines are the three school-based vaccines. School-based vaccines are typically given by Public Health to grade 7 students through in-school immunization clinics. While most students receive these vaccines at in-school clinics, some families prefer to have these vaccines administered by their primary care provider.

Orders for school-based vaccines can now be placed by faxing a completed School-Based Vaccine Order and Reporting Form (PDF file) to 905-465-3403.

Previously, clinics could only order single doses of school-based vaccines to administer to an eligible youth in their practice. Orders placed through the special orders process were patient-specific, which meant that healthcare providers needed to know who the vaccines would be administered to when placing their order. Public Health staff would then review the order, review the patient’s immunization records reported to Public Health, and confirm eligibility prior to filling the order.

To reduce the administrative work associated with ordering school-based vaccines, and to allow healthcare providers to have a small supply of school-based vaccines available at their office to administer to eligible patients, clinics can now order up to 5 doses of each school-based vaccine (or up to 20 doses for larger practices with multiple physicians, or single physician practices that regularly administer school-based vaccines).

When ordering the next batch of school-based vaccines, healthcare providers will be able to report back to Public Health who received the school-based vaccines associated with their previous order.

Single physician practices can order up to 5 doses of each vaccine type. Larger practices with multiple physicians, or single physician practices that regularly administer school-based vaccines can order up to 20 doses of each vaccine type.

Vaccines can be distributed as single doses. Ensure that you will have no than a one-month supply on hand when placing your order.

We want to make it as easy as we can for clinics to have the vaccines they need when they need it. Healthcare providers told us that ordering individual school-based vaccines for each student was taking too much time, especially following the increase in these vaccinations due to students missing school through the pandemic. The new school-based vaccine ordering process will allow clinics to place one order for at least 5 doses of each vaccine, and bundle reporting students who received school-based vaccines together, to help reduce administrative burden.

We hope that having these vaccines readily available on-site will make it easier for clinics to vaccinate students when they see them in clinic to avoid missing an opportunity to immunize.

Yes. School-based vaccines are intended to be given by Public Health through in-school immunization clinics. Vaccines given by Public Health are entered directly into Panorama, which is the system used to manage immunization records in Ontario. When school-based vaccines are given by healthcare providers in the community, these doses will not be recorded in the Panorama immunization record until they are reported to Public Health. While parents continue to be responsible for reporting their child’s immunizations to Public Health, parents are not always aware of this requirement.

Having healthcare providers report school-based vaccines that they have administered to Public Heath, helps Public Health staff know of any previous doses have already been administered. This helps prevent duplicate immunizations if the student presents at an in-school immunization clinic. You can keep track of the immunizations given and report information on doses administered with your next school-based vaccine order.

Healthcare providers are only asked to report school-based vaccines back to Public Health.

Yes. Parents/guardians are responsible for reporting their child’s immunizations, including any school-based vaccines that were not given by Public Health, at halton.ca/immunize.

Healthcare providers are responsible for adhering to the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule (external PDF). Vaccines ordered through Public Health, cannot be administered to individuals who are not eligible under the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule (external PDF).

Healthcare providers can advise patients to avoid delaying school-based immunizations as eligibility for Hepatitis B and HPV vaccines under the routine vaccine program is only publicly funded for students in grades 7-12. Eligibility for a single dose of Men C-ACYW-135 is ongoing for clients born on or after 1997.

If a client is no longer eligible under the routine vaccine program, healthcare providers should assess if the client would be eligible under criteria for the high-risk vaccine program. Vaccines that will be administered as part of the high-risk vaccine program must be ordered as a High-Risk vaccine order.

If an individual is no longer eligible for a publicly funded dose under either the routine or high-risk vaccine programs, individuals can purchase the vaccine with a prescription. Some private insurers may cover all or part of the cost of the vaccine.

No. Each practice or holding point code is responsible for ordering any school-based vaccines that are needed for their own practice.

Publicly funded vaccines must be ordered directly from Public Health. Offices are not permitted to share or distribute publicly funded vaccines to other healthcare providers.

You’ll get your school-based vaccines the same way you receive all your other vaccine orders from Halton Region Public Health. There will be no changes to the vaccine ordering deadline or the vaccine distribution schedule.

School-based vaccines will be distributed with all other vaccines ordered by the ordering deadline.

No. Clinics can no longer place patient-specific orders for school-based vaccines using the Online Vaccine Order Form. All school-based vaccines can only be ordered by faxing the School-Based Vaccine Order and Reporting Form (PDF file) to 905-465-3403.

Each municipality will receive bi-weekly vaccine deliveries. Routine, special, COVID-19 and high risk vaccines must be ordered online on the Wednesday prior to scheduled delivery dates. Refer to Vaccine Distribution for bi-weekly delivery schedule.

Vaccine orders submitted on the Wednesday prior to a scheduled delivery date will be processed and delivered for the next scheduled bi-weekly delivery date.

Please note: If vaccines are needed urgently (e.g. high risk vaccines, post exposure prophylaxis), please call 311 or email accesshalton@halton.ca.

Vaccines will be delivered on your scheduled delivery date listed on the Halton Region Public Health vaccine delivery schedule. Vaccines will be delivered between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. by Critical Path Courier. We are unable to provide a specific time for each office as the courier plans their route based on the number of deliveries in the area and what the most efficient route is.

Please ensure there is a staff member to receive the vaccines between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. If no staff member is present to receive the delivery, vaccines will be returned to Halton Regional Centre (HRC). They will be delivered again on your next scheduled bi-weekly delivery date.

Vaccine orders that are unable to be delivered on the scheduled delivery date will be returned to Halton Regional Centre and will be sent on your next scheduled delivery date. If you need to cancel your scheduled vaccine delivery, please call 311 or email accesshalton@halton.ca for options.

Using a courier to receive vaccines is a convenient option for many healthcare professionals that saves staff time and expenses while protecting the integrity of the vaccines and the cold chain process. Critical Path (the vaccine courier service) uses temperature controlled vans, which helps to ensure that cold chain is maintained during transportation. Many clinics prefer couriered vaccines due to staff time and the associated costs of pick up.

The cost to use the vaccine courier is approximately $35 per delivery. All facilities in Halton are charged the same rate.

Public Health will continue to pay for the flu auto shipments, which are made at the beginning of the flu season, while clinics will pay for the delivery of vaccines they order.

Facilities that would like to continue receiving their vaccines through Critical Path will need to complete an Account Activation Form (PDF file) and send to ar@criticalpath.ca. You will be asked to provide credit card information for billing. If there is information on the Account Activation Form that you would prefer to provide over the phone rather than email (e.g. credit card information), please write “call for information” in the form field. Critical Path will contact you to collect this information over the phone.

If you have questions about the Account Activation form or the account set up process, please contact Critical Path at ar@criticalpath.ca or 905-212- 8333.

Only facilities that have an account with a courier service will be able to select courier as an option from the Online Vaccine Ordering form.

If you have an existing arrangement with a courier service, you can continue to use it or you can transition to Halton Region’s courier service by establishing an account with Critical Path (PDF file).

Halton Region Public Health is strongly encouraging offices to use Critical Path for vaccine deliveries because vaccines are transported in temperature controlled vehicles. This helps to ensure that vaccines are safe and that proper cold chain is maintained during transport.

Each holding point code must order vaccines for their own facility. To avoid cold chain issues and to preserve the integrity of the vaccines, each holding point code is able to order enough vaccine for their individual clinic to last approximately one month. Ordering more than a one-month supply of vaccine can contribute to vaccine wastage in the case of power disruptions.

If your office has an account with a vaccine courier, when you place your vaccine order you will have the option to choose whether you would like to pick up your vaccine order at 1151 Bronte Road or have it delivered to your office by the vaccine courier. If you would like your order delivered by vaccine courier, you should select this from the online ordering form and your order will be delivered on your scheduled delivery day. If you would prefer to pick-up your order, you will need to select this option on the online ordering system and select a pick-up time.

Pick up your vaccine order at Halton Regional Centre, 1151 Bronte Road in Oakville (Google map). When you arrive, park on the north side of the building in either the designated spots for Health Department pick up or visitor parking in Lot I. Enter through the door labelled “STM-2B”, located across from parking lot I, beside the main loading dock. Please go to the Facilities Service Desk for vaccine pick-up. If you require an accessible entrance, please use the entrance on the east side of the building and reception will direct you to the Facilities Service Desk.

See the map attached (PDF file) for further directions on where to park and how to enter the building.

Vaccine pick-up times are:

• Tuesdays from 9 a.m. -11:30 a.m.
• Wednesdays from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Each municipality will follow a bi-weekly vaccine distribution schedule. Vaccine pick-up dates will correspond with the Vaccine Distribution schedule for your municipality.

If you choose to pick up your vaccines from 1151 Bronte Road, please:

• ensure that your hard-sided insulated container is between +2.0○C and +8.0○C;
• closely follow the most recent Insulated Container section in the Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines to avoid being unable to collect your vaccines;
• ensure your hard-sided insulated container has a maximum-minimum thermometer and that you follow the Insulated Containers requirements in the Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines
• use refrigerated water blankets to ensure vaccine safety when preparing and packing an insulated container; and
• ensure that your hard-sided cooler is large enough to store your entire vaccine order. Packaging for many vaccines has changed since the start of the pandemic with pre-filled syringes becoming more common. Since pre-filled syringes take up more physical space, your vaccine order may not fit in a single hard-sided cooler.

If the Public Health Pharmacy team determines that you are not prepared to safely transport your vaccine order, you will have to return at a later date once you are able to fulfill the vaccine cold chain requirements.

Vaccine orders that are not picked up on the scheduled pick-up date will be available for pick-up on the next bi-weekly pick-up date for your municipality. If you need to cancel your pick-up date, please call 311 or email accesshalton@halton.ca for options.

The option to pick up vaccine at Joseph Brant, Georgetown, or Milton District hospitals, is no longer available. Vaccines must be picked up from the Halton Regional Centre at 1151 Bronte Road in Oakville.

Hospital vaccine pick-up has not been available since November 2020 for various reasons. Since Public Health Units are responsible for storing and distributing a large quantity of vaccines, the Ministry of Health has additional vaccine storage and handling requirements that we are required to follow. These requirements are in place to minimize the risk of vaccine wastage. Since hospitals are not required to follow the additional vaccine storage and handling requirements that public health units are required to follow, vaccines available through public health, must be picked up either at Public Health or delivered through a courier service.

• Vaccine fridge meets Ministry of Health Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines.
• Vaccine fridge has passed a cold chain inspection by Halton Region Public Health within the past 12 months.
• Refer to the Vaccine Storage and Handling web page for more information.

COVID-19 Vaccine Onboarding Overview

All facilities wishing to enroll in Halton Region’s COVID-19 Vaccine program, must review this section to ensure that your facility meets all of the criteria required to administer COVID-19 vaccines. If you have questions about the criteria or the COVID-19 vaccine onboarding process, please email: COVIDVaccine@halton.ca.

Vaccine Storage and Handling Criteria

1. The facility is compliant with Ministry of Health: Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines (external PDF) including the following:
   • Has a vaccine refrigerator that has passed a public health cold chain inspection within the past 12 months. Note: If a cold chain inspection has not occurred within this time period, one will need to be completed before proceeding with the onboarding process.
   • Vaccine refrigerator temperatures are maintained between +2°C and +8°C.
   • Vaccine refrigerator temperatures are documented twice daily in an up-to-date Temperature Log Book.
   • A contingency plan (PDF file) is in place in the event of a cold chain incident due to equipment failure and/or electrical disruptions.
2. The facility has a designated lead staff member (and one person assigned as back-up) who is knowledgeable of the importance of cold chain, vaccine storage and handling practices, equipment maintenance and repair procedures, the appropriate action to be taken in the event of a vaccine exposure and contingency plans.

Vaccine Administration and Inventory Criteria

3. The facility will adhere to Ontario Ministry of Health COVID-19 Vaccine Program (external link) Guidance documents, including:
   • General COVID-19: Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidance (external PDF)
4. The facility will maintain accurate documentation of any changes to their vaccine inventory.
   • A COVID-19 vaccine inventory report must be submitted to COVIDVaccine@halton.ca for each day that vaccines are administered/wasted.
   • COVID-19 vaccines must not be administered past the specified ‘use by date and time,’ which is different from the manufacturer’s expiry date. Note:
     • Do not hesitate to puncture a vial, especially for patients who may be vaccine-hesitant or unlikely to return for a vaccination.
     • Limit vaccine orders to a 2-4 week supply at a time.
     • COVID-19 vaccines will be available for delivery/pick-up according to the Vaccine Distribution schedule.

COVax Criteria

5. The facility will learn and use the COVax system to document vaccine administration & update inventory.
   • All administrative staff and healthcare providers involved in the vaccination process will require COVax accounts.
   • All staff who will be using COVax must complete Halton Region’s COVID-19 Vaccine Onboarding Program.
   • All staff will need access to a personal smartphone device. The Salesforce Authenticator phone application will be used to enable two-factor authentication before accessing the COVax system.
6. The facility has stable and reliable Wi-Fi/internet access to use COVax.

To enroll in the COVID-19 vaccine program, eligible facilities must complete a Vaccine Agreement (PDF file) and submit to covidvaccine@halton.ca using the subject line: “COVID-19 Vaccine Onboarding Program.”

All staff who will be involved with COVID-19 vaccines at your facility must review Halton Region’s COVID-19 Vaccine Onboarding Training Presentation.

Note: OntarioMD is no longer offering training for primary care practices to document the administration of COVID-19 vaccinations.

• In the Overview of Halton Region’s COVID-19 Vaccine Onboarding Process section, “Step 4: Complete OntarioMD: COVax Training” is no longer required.
• In the Resources & Support section, OntarioMD COVax Training is no longer available.

Once all required clinic staff have completed Halton Region’s COVID-19 Vaccine Onboarding training program, your facility must complete a COVax Account Registration Form (to be emailed to your facility) and submit to covidvaccine@halton.ca.

Public Health staff will contact your facility directly to provide your Vaccination Event and outline next steps.

Once your facility has received its Vaccination Event and staff have activated their COVax accounts and downloaded the Salesforce Authenticator application to their personal smartphone device, COVID-19 vaccine orders can be submitted online using the Vaccine Order Form. COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed with other publicly-funded vaccines according to the Vaccine Distribution Schedule.

A COVID-19 Vaccine Inventory Report (PDF file) must be completed for each day that vaccines are administered/wasted at your facility and sent to covidvaccine@halton.ca.

COVID-19 Vaccines, Ontario Government (external link)

• COVID-19 Vaccine: Canadian Immunization Guide (external link)

• Job Aid COVax Account Setup (PDF file)
• For help accessing or using COVaxON or for questions, contact the Ministry of Health COVaxON Support Desk:
  • COVaxON Service Desk Hours: Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • COVaxonSupport@ontario.ca
  • Phone Inquiries: Toll Free 1-(888)-333-0640 or 416-849-9998

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is an Authorizing Organization (AO)?
   This is the organization that manages your vaccine inventory. In general, this is your Public Health Unit (PHU).
2. What is a Vaccination Event (VE)?
   This is the COVax account that is assigned by the AO to clinic locations that are administering vaccines. Your facility will have its own vaccination event. Note:
   • Please DO NOT create your own VE.
   • It is important that each client is assigned to the correct VE, which is indicated on the client profile.
   • If a client is not assigned to a VE, or they are assigned to the wrong VE, the vaccinator will not be able to find the correct vaccine in COVax at the time of immunization.
3. How is inventory assigned?
   The AO will physically prepare and virtually transfer your allocated vaccine inventory into your VE.
4. Does each user need a COVax account?
   Yes, each person who plans to use the COVax system will require an individual log-in. If a user plans to work with multiple AOs (e.g. Halton Region Public Health and a hospital site), they will require a different account for each AO.
5. Can one person complete all the required steps in COVax?
   Yes, if a user has a “COVax Vaccinator” account, they are able to complete all required steps in COVax. 
6. What technology is needed?
   To access the COVax system, each user will require access to a computer/tablet/iPad with a compatible internet browser (all except Internet Explorer), as well as a personal smartphone device. The user will need to download the Salesforce Authenticator application onto their phone to enable two-factor authentication (see Job Aid: Section 4B).
7. I am not able to log in – what should I do?
   Please ensure that you are using the correct URL and username. Your username is the email you used to sign up, with the addition of “.covaxon” at the end. For example – apple.pie@gmail.com.covaxon.
   If your account has been deactivated (after 45 days without use) or locked, please contact COVIDVaccine@halton.ca.

Support

COVaxON Support Desk:
For inquiries related to setting up two-factor authentication and phone/phone number changes:

• Email: COVaxonSupport@ontario.ca OR
• Phone Toll free: 1-(888)-333-0640 OR
• Phone: 416-849-9998
• Available Monday to Friday (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Halton Region Public Health:
For inquiries related to onboarding, initial COVax account setup, account re-activation, locked accounts and pharmacy partnerships:

• Email: CovidVaccine@halton.ca
• Available Monday to Friday (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
• A member of the Public Health team will respond as soon as possible.

Access Halton:
For inquiries related to cold chain, COVID-19 vaccines, other vaccines (including flu) and vaccine orders/delivery:

• Email: AccessHalton@halton.ca OR
• Phone: 311
• Available 24/7

• COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheets and Print Resources, Halton Region Public Health
• COVID-19 Vaccine Inventory Report (PDF file)

As of September 2022, all students in grades 7 to end of grade 12 will be eligible for the publicly funded Hepatitis B vaccine.

*Individuals aged 16 years to less than 19 years require a 3-dose Hep B 0.5 mL (pediatric) immunization schedule as per the Canadian Immunization Guide (external link).

Individuals who have not completed the HB series prior to age 16 must follow Table 7: Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule recommended intervals for remaining doses using the HB pediatric (0.5 mL) formulation.

HPV-9 vaccine eligibility starts in grade 7 and extends to the end of grade 12 for all students, regardless of gender, as per the updated Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule.

*Individuals aged 15 years and older require a 3-dose HPV-9 immunization schedule as per the Canadian Immunization Guide (external link).