COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility

Eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine is based on an individual’s age and medical conditions. Check below to see which doses you are eligible for, then book a vaccine appointment.  At the time of your appointment, tell your healthcare provider if you are immunocompromised or have a condition that puts you at higher risk of severe outcome for COVID-19; you may need a larger dose of the vaccine.

• First and Second Dose Eligibility
• Booster Eligibility
• Bivalent Vaccine Eligibility
• Information about Boosters and Third and Fourth Doses

First and Second Dose Eligibility

The following groups are eligible for a first and second dose:

• All people aged 6 months of age and older
  • Eligibility will be based on age at the time of appointment. If your child is not at least 6 months of age at the time of the appointment, they will not be able to receive the vaccine. 

When: First and second doses are typically given as a series. There are different time periods you should wait between doses, depending on which vaccine you receive. The below chart outlines recommended timing between the first and second dose for different brands of the vaccine. 

Booster Eligibility

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization and the NWT Chief Public Health Officer advise adults and children to get a booster dose (regardless of the number of boosters they’ve previously received), if it has been six months since their last COVID-19 vaccination, or three months since their last COVID-19 infection.

Bivalent Vaccine Eligibility

The updated COVID-19 vaccine, known as the bivalent Omicron mRNA vaccine, will be offered first to those at highest risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. The bivalent vaccine approved by Health Canada combines two types of vaccine: one that targets the original COVID-19 strain, along with a second that targets the Omicron variant, specifically BA.1. Both the traditional and updated vaccines are effective at preventing severe outcomes of COVID-19 for all ages, said Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola.

Initial prioritization for rollout of the bivalent Omicron vaccine will be as follows:

Group 1

• 65 years of age and older
• Residents of long-term care facilities
• 5-64 years of age, high risk and severely immunocompromised

Group 2

• All individuals 50-64 years of age
• All individuals aged 12-49 who have high-risk medical conditions.

Individuals with underlying medical conditions that place them at high risk of severe COVID-19 may include those with:

• • • cardiac or pulmonary disorders
    • uncontrolled diabetes from other metabolic diseases
    • renal disease
    • anemia or hemoglobinopathy
    • neurologic or neurodevelopmental conditions
    • Class 3 obesity (BMI of 40 and over)
    • pregnancy

Group 3

• General population aged 18-49

Healthy children and teens aged 5-17 can opt to receive a booster of the original vaccine at their discretion.

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If a second dose is delayed past the recommended time frame, the second dose should still be given as soon as possible. You do not have to restart the vaccine series if this happens. 

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What are Boosters and what's the difference between 3rd/4th dose and who needs them?

A vaccine booster is recommended because over time, the protection generated from the first two doses may be waning.  

Booster doses increase immunity and are being offered on a voluntary basis, a minimum of six (6) months after your second or third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

A booster contains less vaccine product than an additional full dose.  If you are immunocompromised please tell your healthcare provide at your immunization appointment; you may be eligible for a 3rd full dose instead of a booster. 

A third or fourth full dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna) is identical to the first two doses. It is administered to help protect people with weakened immune systems who may not have had a strong enough response to the first two doses of one of the mRNA vaccines. 

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Am I considered Immunocompromised?

Eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine is based on an individual’s age and medical conditions. Often booster doses are available earlier to individuals who are immunocompromised.

An individual would be considered to have moderate to severe immune compromise if they have one of the following conditions or treatments:

• Active treatment of cancer or other hematologic malignancy 
• Recipient of solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy 
• Treatment of leukemia with T cell therapy, or had a stem cell transplant within the last two years 
• Moderate to severe primary B or T cell immunodeficiency (e.g.: Di George Syndrome or Wiskott-Alrich Syndrome) 
• Stage 3 or advanced untreated HIV infection or diagnosis of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) 
• Active treatment of active disease (neurological, autoimmune, neoplastic) with any of the following immune suppressive therapies: 
  • Corticosteroids at doses equivalent to or greater than prednisone 20mg/day for greater than 14 days 
  • Anti-B cell therapy (e.g.: rituximab/Rituxan, belimumab/Benlysta, etanercept/Enbrel, tocilizumab/Actemra) 
  • Alkylating agent therapy (e.g.: carboplatin, chlorambucil, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide) 
  • Systemic antimetabolite therapy (e.g.: 6-mercaptopurine, 5-fluorouracil, gemcitabine, cytarabine, pemetrexed, methotrexate) 
  • Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor therapy (e.g.: infliximab/Remicade, etanercept/Enbrel, adalimumab/Humira) 
  • Other biologic therapy (e.g.: ustekinumab/Stelara) 

If you believe you have moderate to severe immune compromise and your situation is not represented in this list, talk your healthcare provider about whether your condition makes you eligible for a 3rd or 4th dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Requesting your digital Proof of Vaccination Credential 

A self-service online form is available to individuals five and older, and allows you to immediately download your digital proof of vaccine credential. You can use this government-issued credential to prove your COVID-19 vaccination status where required. 

Go to the COVID-19 Proof Of Vaccination Credential Request Form 

If you previously requested a copy of your COVID-19 medical record proof it is still valid proof of vaccination, but it will not be able to be scanned and verified because it does not have QR code. 

If you are unable to successfully use the self-service form or do not have access to a computer, you can request a printed copy at your local health centre. 

The Proof of Vaccination Credential (PVC) Office in Yellowknife is closed as of May 1st, 2022. PVC services can still be accessed at Public Health or by email at NTHSSA_covidvaxrecords@gov.nt.ca

If you are having difficulties downloading your PVC, please email NTHSSA_covidvaxrecords@gov.nt.ca with the following information:

• Scanned copy of your NWT Healthcare Card – must be valid and not expired
• Scanned copy of your government-issued photo ID
• Any out-of-territory documents or record of immunization, in order to validate, that include: 
  • First and last name
  • Date of vaccination
  • Community and Province/Territory of vaccination
  • Vaccine name and lot number
  • Size of dose administered
  • Where on your body you received the vaccination

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