All pre- and post-transplant patients are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and get vaccine boosters as they become available.
A complete primary vaccine series for solid organ transplant recipients involves three doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Three doses of vaccine offer better protection for people who are immunocompromised. A three-dose series is safe and recommended for transplant recipients who have never been vaccinated. If you were vaccinated before your transplant, you may have only received two doses and that is acceptable.
Transplant recipients (5 years and up) may have also received a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine approximately six months after the third dose of the primary vaccine series. This means you could have had four shots of COVID-19 vaccine at this time.
As of fall 2022, additional boosters are becoming available. This may be your fifth dose. Transplant recipients are strongly encouraged to get the boosters when notified. This includes the new bivalent vaccines for transplant recipients 12 and older. Transplant recipients who are 12-17 years of age can self-declare to the pharmacy or clinic that they require the bivalent booster. Those aged 5-11 get the pediatric booster.
If you are registered in the provincial system, you will receive a notice 6 months after your last vaccine dose. However, transplant recipients can receive a booster as soon as three months after their last dose. If you would like a booster sooner than six months, you should contact the provincial vaccination system at 1-833-838-2323 (toll-free) to self-identify. This will enable you to book an earlier booster dose.
If you recently had COVID-19, you should wait three months to get your booster.