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COVID-19 immunizations

Publication date: March 28, 2025

Immunization is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself against severe illness from COVID-19.

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Spring COVID-19 vaccine eligibility

B.C.’s COVID-19 spring program will run from April 8 to June 30. The program is focused on providing vaccines to those most at risk of severe COVID-19 illness or complications. Spring immunization guidance follows the National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI) recommendations.

The following groups are recommended to get a spring dose:

  • Adults 65 years of age and older
  • Indigenous adults 55 years of age and older
  • Adult residents of long-term care homes and assisted living facilities (including those awaiting placement)
  • Individuals 6 months and older and who have been diagnosed as clinically extremely vulnerable (a CEV 1 or CEV 2 condition)

If you are eligible and already registered in the Get Vaccinated system, you will be notified between April 8 and April 16, 2025 based on your eligibility. It’s best to book your appointment in advance.

The vaccine is available at approximately 400 pharmacies, as well as health authority clinics, some primary care offices, community health centres, long-term care homes and First Nations communities. Public health units will have vaccines available for children under 12 years of age.

This spring program will use the same COVID-19 vaccine in place during the latest respiratory illness season, which are the mRNA vaccines targeting the KP.2 COVID-19 subvariant.

Stay up to date on COVID-19 immunizations

If you are not in the groups at risk for serious illness and have questions about your eligibility for a spring dose, consult your health care provider or phone your local pharmacy or the call centre.

If you haven’t received a COVID-19 vaccine in B.C. 

Register in the Get Vaccinated system to receive your invitation to book an appointment. Follow the instructions below. 

Step 1. Register with the Get Vaccinated system

Register in the Get Vaccinated system to receive your notification to book an appointment and to stay up to date with your influenza (flu) and COVID-19 immunizations.

You can register yourself or someone else, like a parent, grandparent or child. We will never ask you for your Social Insurance Number, driver's licence number or banking and credit card details.

Fastest option: online 

To register online, you must provide:

  • First and last name
  • Date of birth 
  • Postal code
  • Personal Health Number (PHN)
  • An email address that gets checked regularly or a phone number that can receive text messages

Find your PHN on the back of your B.C. driver's licence, BC Services Card or CareCard. 

Register online It takes 2 minutes.

Other registration and booking options

 

By phone

Call: 1-833-838-2323 | Monday to Friday, 7 am to 7 pm. Statutory holidays, 9 am to 5 pm | Translators are available 

Outside Canada and the USA: 1-604-681-4261.

Telephone for people who are deaf or hard of hearing: Dial 711.

Video Relay Services (VRS) provides sign language interpretation free for registered deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired people.

 

At a Service BC office

You can register in-person at all Service BC offices. 

Office hours vary by location. Check before you go. 

Everyone can get immunized, even if you don’t have a PHN or other documentation. It doesn't matter if you are a Canadian citizen.

Register even if you have already received a dose outside of B.C.

All of your information will be kept private and will never be shared with other agencies or parts of government. 

Step 2. Book my vaccine appointment

After you register with Get Vaccinated, we will send you a notification. Use the link in your notification to book your vaccine appointment online or by phone.

Step 3.  What to expect at my appointment

Review COVID-19 vaccine safety information from HealthLink BC before your appointment. Plan to be at your appointment for 15 to 30 minutes. ​

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Arrive prepared

Get ready for my appointment:

  • You don't need to fast. Be sure to drink water
  • Bring your booking confirmation and photo ID
  • Wear a short-sleeved shirt
  • Arrive a few minutes before your scheduled appointment time
 

During my appointment

At the pharmacy or clinic you will:

  • Check-in with your photo ID and booking confirmation. For modesty, you can ask for a private location to get your shot
  • Get your vaccine dose
  • Wait in an observation area after your shot for about 15 minutes

Step 4. After my appointment

Review immunization aftercare instructions from HealthLink BC.  

Understand my vaccine options

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​Vaccines available in B.C.

Health Canada has a thorough approval process to make sure all the vaccines and medicines are safe.

Updated mRNA vaccines that offer better protection against the latest COVID-19 variants are available for people 6 months and older.

Find the latest approved vaccines in Canada. 

I want a non-mRNA vaccine

A non-mRNA COVID-19 including Novavax is currently not available. 

If you are not able to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, speak to your health care provider about other treatment options if you get COVID-19. 

 

Vaccines for children and youth

COVID-19 vaccines are an important part of your child's routine immunization schedule.

Your child can get the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as other childhood vaccines, including the influenza (flu) vaccine. If you have multiple children, they each need an appointment.

Plan to be at the appointment with your child for 15 to 30 minutes. 

Give consent at the vaccine appointment

Consent is required for children to get a COVID-19 vaccine. You'll be asked to provide consent at the appointment.

Consent for a child can be provided by a:

  • Parent, legal guardian or foster parent
  • Custodial caregiver like a grandparent or relative

Only one parent, legal guardian or foster parent is required to give consent.

 

I've already had COVID-19

Even if you've already had COVID-19 and recovered, you should still get immunized.

If you were recently sick, you can get the vaccine once your symptoms have passed.

If you have an appointment but you still have symptoms, reschedule for when you will be fully recovered.

 

Other considerations

Most people who are eligible can be safely immunized against COVID-19, although a very small number of people who have severe allergies to parts of the vaccine may need to speak to their health care provider about options.

Visit BC Centre for Disease Control's vaccine considerations page to learn more.

Read more about how to protect yourself, your family and your community from COVID-19 at HealthLink BC.

​My immunization record

When you get immunized, your information will be entered into the electronic Provincial Immunization Registry. You can access your immunization record online or request a printed copy by phone or at a Service BC office. 

Online: 

Register for Health Gateway to view or update your immunization records and download your proof of vaccination documents.

You need a BC services card to register.

Phone: 

Call 1-833-838-2323 to request a mailed copy of your immunization record. 

In person at a Service BC office: 

You can get a printed copy of your immunization record at all Service BC offices.

Update my record

If your immunization records are missing on Health Gateway, they can be entered into the electronic Provincial Immunization Registry. 

Vaccine safety

Health Canada has a thorough approval process to make sure all the vaccines and medicines we take are safe.

  • Vaccines are tested extensively before being approved for use
  • Health Canada continues to monitor for vaccine safety
  • No major safety concerns have been identified in the data Health Canada reviewed

Review Health Canada guidance on COVID-19 vaccine safety and side effects.

I need help

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I don't have my invitation

You must be registered with the Get Vaccinated system to get an invitation. If you haven't yet received or can't find your invitation:

Re-send your booking link

 

I don’t have a PHN

Each B.C. resident enrolled with the Medical Services Plan is given a unique lifetime identifier for health care called a Personal Health Number (PHN). Your PHN and can be found on your BC Services Card.

Look up or create a PHN

If you’ve entered the correct PHN but experience issues logging in, please contact the call centre at 1-833-838-2323 for assistance.

 

I'm not a resident of B.C.

Non-B.C. residents can contact their local Health Authority Public Health Unit.

 

I want to learn more about COVID-19 in B.C.

Phone the call centre if you have questions about your COVID-19 immunization options and need help booking an appointment. Talk to your health care provider if you have questions about when you should get the vaccine.

Call: 1-833-838-2323 

Monday to Friday, 7 am to 7 pm. Statutory holidays, 9 am to 5 pm | Translators are available 

Outside Canada and the USA: 1-604-681-4261

Telephone for people who are deaf or hard of hearing: Dial 711

Video Relay Services (VRS) sign language interpretation is free for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired.