Vaccines are our best defense against many diseases that can be very contagious and cause serious illness, hospitalization, and even death. The vaccines you need may depend on your age, health condition, occupation, travel habits, environment, and lifestyle. Sometimes a booster dose is needed to stay protected. Some vaccinations may be covered under Ontario’s Publicly Funded Routine Immunization Schedule (also available in French 
)Before getting any vaccines, talk to your healthcare provider to learn more about your specific needs, what dose schedule would be appropriate for you, and whether you’ll be covered under the publicly funded schedule. You can also check with your employer for any vaccines that may be required for the job.
| Vaccine | Protects Against | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Flu Vaccine | Influenza (flu) | Everyone in Ontario is eligible for a free flu vaccine in November/December every year. |
| Hepatitis B Vaccine | Hepatitis B | If you did not get this vaccine in grade 7 or 8, you can still get it as an adult, however the cost may not be covered. |
| HPV Vaccine | Human Papillomavirus (HPV) | In Ontario, HPV vaccination is given to students in grade 7 or 8 and to adult males up to 26 years, who identify as having sex with men who meet the eligibility criteria. If you missed vaccination in school, you can still get the vaccine as an adult, however the cost may not be covered. |
| Meningococcal vaccines (Men-C-C, Men-C-ACYW, 4CMenB/MenB-fHBP) | Meningitis | Adults who are close contacts of a confirmed case or at high risk for invasive meningococcal disease may be eligible to get a publicly funded booster.
In Ontario, vaccination against meningitis occurs in childhood and in grade 7 or 8. If you missed vaccination as a child or in school, you can still get the vaccine as an adult, however the cost may not be covered. Individuals born in or after 1997 who have not been vaccinated (Men-C–ACYW) are eligible to get the vaccine for free. Individuals 56 years of age or older who are high risk, can receive a single dose of Men-C-ACYW135. Any high risk individuals born in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968 are eligible to receive two doses of Men-C-ACYW135 for free until December 31, 2024. |
| MMR Live Vaccine* | Measles, Mumps, and Rubella | Two doses of the measles vaccine and mumps containing vaccine are recommended for adults born in or after 1970 who never had measles or have not already been vaccinated.
Speak to a healthcare provider to check your coverage. |
| Pneumococcal Conjugate C-20 Vaccine (Pneu-C-20) | Pneumococcal Disease | One dose of the publicly funded Pneu-C-20 vaccine is recommended and free for adults over 65 years of age. |
| Polio Vaccine (IPV) | Poliovirus | In Ontario, young children get polio vaccinations as part of the primary series of vaccination against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. If you missed this vaccination as a child, and are not up-to-date with your polio vaccinations, you can still get the free vaccine as an adult. |
| Shingles (Herpes Zoster) Vaccine | Shingles (Herpes Zoster) | Seniors aged 65 to 70 years of age are eligible for free shingles vaccine (Shingrix) under the publicly funded immunization schedule as a two dose series. A healthcare provider may recommend it to if you are 50 years of age or older and will discuss coverage options with you if needed.
People born in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953 who did not get their free two dose series of Shingrix can get it before December 31, 2024. |
| Tdap Vaccine | Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis | One free publicly funded Tdap booster is recommended for adults 18+ and is usually given at age 25 in Ontario.
For pregnant individuals, one publicly funded dose of Tdap vaccine is recommended for each pregnancy, regardless of how many doses of Tdap received in the past. |
| Td Vaccine | Tetanus, Diphtheria | A free diphtheria booster is recommended every 10 years after completing the primary series of Tdap. |
| Varicella Live Vaccine* | Chickenpox (Varicella) | Recommended to non-pregnant people who are 18 to 49 years old who never had chickenpox or were not vaccinated. It is publicly funded for anyone born in or after 2000, and anyone born in 1999 or earlier who have certain health conditions or live with someone who has a weak immune system. Speak to a healthcare provider if you’re unsure about your coverage. |
*Generally, live vaccines should not be given during pregnancy, and people who get live vaccines should not try to get pregnant for at least four weeks after getting the vaccine.
The following vaccines are recommended for anyone who is planning a pregnancy and/or during a pregnancy.
| Vaccine | Protects Against | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Flu Vaccine | Influenza (flu) | Recommended in each pregnancy. Family members should also be vaccinated.
Protects the mother and baby from flu-related complications during flu season (which is usually from October to April of each year). Everyone in Ontario is eligible for a free flu vaccine in November/December every year. |
| Hepatitis B Vaccine | Hepatitis B | Recommended when planning a pregnancy if not already vaccinated, however the cost may not be covered.
Prevents transmission of infection to the baby. Chronic carriers of hepatitis B should speak with their health care provider about preventing transmission to their babies. |
| Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine | Human Papillomavirus (HPV) | Recommended when planning a pregnancy if not already vaccinated, however the cost may not be covered.
Reduces amount of cervical abnormalities, cancer, genital warts, and prevents infection and transmission of HPV warts and respiratory papillomatosis to babies. |
| MMR Vaccine* | Measles, Mumps, and Rubella | Recommended when planning a pregnancy if not already vaccinated. Two doses are recommended for full protection. Speak to a healthcare provider if you’re unsure about your coverage.
Reduces the risk of infection during pregnancy. For example, a rubella infection in early pregnancy can cause miscarriage and congenital rubella syndrome. |
| Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccine* | Chickenpox (Varicella) | Recommended when planning a pregnancy if you have never had chickenpox or a chickenpox vaccination before.
Reduces the risk of infection during pregnancy. Infection with chickenpox in early pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects in babies. Infections in pregnant people can cause serious complications such as pneumonia. It is free for anyone born in or after 2000, and anyone born in 1999 or earlier who have certain health conditions or live with someone who has a weak immune system. Speak to a healthcare provider if you’re unsure about your coverage. |
| Hepatitis A Vaccine | Hepatitis A | Consider when planning a pregnancy if not already vaccinated or during a pregnancy if travelling or at higher risk of infection due to occupation.
Protects against Hepatitis A. Hepatitis A can cause severe disease in pregnancy. The vaccine is not free, but may be for individuals at greater risk of infection. Speak with a healthcare provider if you’re unsure about your coverage. |
| Polio Vaccine (IPV) | Poliovirus | Consider when planning a pregnancy if not already vaccinated or during a pregnancy if travelling or at higher risk of infection due to occupation.
If you missed this vaccination as a child, and are not up-to-date with your polio vaccinations, you can still get the free vaccine as an adult. |
| Tdap Vaccine | Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis | Recommended and free in each pregnancy, preferably given between 27 to 32 weeks.
Reduce the new baby’s risk of infection with pertussis before they are six months old, when they are at highest risk of complications from pertussis infection. Vaccinating the family will also protect babies from pertussis infection. Vaccination against tetanus will protect babies from neonatal tetanus. |
*Generally, live vaccines should not be given during pregnancy, and people who get live vaccines should not try to get pregnant for at least four weeks after getting the vaccine.
Travelers should visit a travel health clinic at least four weeks before traveling to find out if any vaccinations are needed based on the purpose of travel, length of travel, and destination. Note that some vaccinations required for travel are not publicly funded. The below vaccines are publicly funded for travel.
| Vaccines | Protects against | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| MMR Live Vaccine* | Measles, Mumps, and Rubella | Adults who only have one dose of the MMR vaccine are eligible to get a free second dose if they are planning to travel to areas where the disease is a concern. |
| Polio vaccine (IPV) | Poliovirus
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis |
Adults who have completed their vaccinations against polio virus and are planning to travel to an area where the virus is known or suspected to be spreading are eligible to get one free IPV-containing booster dose. |
For information about vaccines that are not publicly funded or other travel vaccines, please refer to NACI and CAMAT for indications and usage.