Updates from Ottawa Public Health - March 9, 2023
A third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is now available to residents most at risk of serious illness, including individuals who are severely immunocompromised
, notably:
- Transplant recipients (including solid organ transplant and hematopoietic stem cell transplants);
- Patients with hematological cancers (examples include lymphoma, myeloma, leukemia) on active treatment (chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapy);
- Recipients of an anti-CD20 agent (examples include rituximab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab).
Ottawa residents who meet these criteria can speak to their specialist or hospital program to ask for a letter to receive a third dose. The third dose of vaccine will be given at least two months after the second dose and will match the vaccine received as the second dose. Drop-in vaccinations(link is external) are available to those eligible for a third dose at any community clinic, pop-up clinic, or neighbourhood vaccination hub in Ottawa during hours of operation. Eligible residents must present a letter from their specialist or hospital program to receive a third dose.
Residents of long-term care homes and highest risk retirement homes will also be offered a third dose of vaccination at an interval of at least five months after the second dose. Ottawa Public Health is working with long-term care homes and highest risk retirement homes directly to offer a third dose to residents in those settings.
