Seniors Vaccines In Ontario
August 6, 2025
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The senior’s vaccine initiative comes at a critical juncture, recognizing the unique healthcare needs of seniors and addressing the heightened risks they face from infectious diseases. With age-related declines in immune function, older adults often experience increased susceptibility to severe complications from illnesses such as influenza, pneumonia, and shingles. By offering specialized immunization tailored to their needs, Ontario aims to reduce the burden of preventable diseases and enhance the overall quality of life for seniors across the province.
Vaccines protect you and those around you from serious preventable diseases. Ontario offers the following free vaccines for adults, including those 65 years of age and older
1. COVID-19 Vaccine
- Getting vaccinated and staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones and our communities from severe outcomes from COVID-19 and its variants.
- COVID-19 vaccines are available to everybody aged 6 months and older in Ontario at no cost, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, even if you do not have an Ontario health card.
2. Flu (influenza) shot
- The flu (influenza) is a contagious virus that anyone can get and makes older adults very sick
- High dose (IIV-HD) formulation is recommended for older adults as it provides better protection compared with the standard dose influenza vaccine in adults 65 years of age and older annually.
3. Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap or Td)Vaccines
- Adults should receive a booster dose of either Tdap or Td (a different vaccine that protects against tetanus and diphtheria but not pertussis) every 10 years, or after 5 years in the case of a severe or dirty wound or burn. Tdap may be given at the same time as other vaccines.
4. Pneumococcal (Pneumococcal-P23)
- Pneumococcal vaccine can prevent pneumonia and other infections caused by 23 types of the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria.
- The vaccine is offered routinely for adults at 65 years of age, but you should be vaccinated sooner if you have risk factors.
- An additional dose is recommended 5 years after the first dose if you have immunocompromising condition.
5. Shingles (Shingrix® Vaccine)
- The varicella zoster virus causes shingles. It’s the same virus that causes chickenpox.
- Shingles is a painful skin rash – with blisters – that can occur anywhere on the body but usually shows up in a strip on either side. In some cases, the rash occurs on one side of the face.
- A shingles infection can be very serious. It can lead to complications such as loss of vision and debilitating nerve pain.
- You can get shingles at any age if you’ve had chickenpox. But older adults (over 50 years old) and those who are immunocompromised (e.g. HIV+, defects in T-cell function) get it most often.
- The virus (varicella zoster virus) that causes shingles can be spread from a person with a shingles rash in the blister phase to another person who has never had chickenpox. The virus is spread through direct contact with the fluid in the blisters. In such cases, the person exposed to the virus might develop chickenpox, but they would not develop shingles. Once the shingles rash has developed crusts, the infected person is no longer contagious.
- Shingrix® is provided in a two-dose series.
- The vaccine reduces your chance of getting the virus by more than 50%, depending on your age. Vaccine effectiveness is higher among seniors between 65 and 70 years old.
- To be eligible to get the free shingles vaccine in Ontario, you must be 65 to 70 years old and have not previously received a publicly funded shingles vaccine. Get free shingles vaccine from your family doctor or other primary care provider (e.g. nurse practitioner).
- Seniors who don’t qualify for the free shingles vaccine can speak with their primary health care provider (physician or nurse practitioner) about decisions around shingles immunization and purchasing the vaccine privately ($300).
What about Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)?
The virus can spread to the lower respiratory tract, causing pneumonia or bronchiolitis (the small airway passages entering the lungs become inflamed). More severe RSV signs include:
- Fever
- Severe cough
- Wheezing — a loud noise when a person breathes out
- Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing
Ontario’s publicly funded RSV prevention program is targeted for high-risk individuals and settings. The program includes individuals 60 years and older who are:
- Living in long-term care homes
- Living in Elder Care Lodges
- Residents of retirement homes licensed to provide dementia care
- Patients in hospital receiving alternate level of care (ALC)
- Patients receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis
- Recipients of solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplants
- Individuals experiencing homelessness
- Individuals who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis
Individuals aged 60 years and older who do not qualify for the free RSV vaccine can still purchase the vaccine with a prescription from their family doctor or other primary care provider. Some private insurers may cover all or part of the cost of the vaccine.
The vaccine is one shot and it costs up to $300.
For now, only one dose of RSV vaccine is recommended.
The side effects of Vaccines
The side effects of a vaccine designed specifically for seniors, it would largely depend on the type of vaccine, its composition, and any specific health conditions or sensitivities among the elderly population.
It’s essential for seniors and their caregivers to discuss any concerns or questions about vaccination with a healthcare provider who can provide personalized guidance based on individual health status and medical history. Talk to your primary care provider today.
References
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/tdap.html
https://www.ontario.ca/page/shingles-vaccine
https://www.ontario.ca/page/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-prevention-programs