Some routine vaccinations give lifelong protection, but for others you’ll need a booster from time to time. By keeping your vaccines up to date, you’ll be giving yourself the best possible protection from diseases like hepatitis A, tetanus, shingles and whooping cough.
If you need catch-up vaccines, or travel vaccines, make an appointment at your nearest branch of Canadian Travel Clinics.
Where can I get catch-up vaccinations?
You can get catch-up vaccine doses from community pharmacies, travel health clinics and your provincial or territorial health service.
Finding your vaccination record
Your healthcare provider should have your vaccination record. The Government of Canada has collected information for each province and territory that will help you locate your vaccine records, including covid-19 vaccine records.
Top tip: Your vaccine record can help the travel health adviser recommend appropriate vaccines for your trip abroad. So it’s worth bringing a copy to your travel health appointment.
Which vaccines do adults need?
Vaccination protects everyone against infectious diseases. You may need a booster dose for a vaccine you’ve already received, or if you’ve missed out on a scheduled shot, then you can have a catch-up shot. Examples of vaccines that an adult might need include:
- covid-19
- diphtheria
- hepatitis A
- hepatitis B
- human papillomavirus (HPV)
- measles
- meningococcal meningitis
- mumps
- pertussis (whooping cough)
- pneumococcal disease
- polio
- rubella
- shingles
- tetanus
- varicella (chicken pox)
To get up-to-date information about the vaccine schedule for adults, take a look at Health Canada’s vaccine pages.
You can also ask your usual healthcare provider about what vaccines you might need.
Vaccination during pregnancy
During pregnancy, your immune system takes a hit, which can make you more susceptible to infectious diseases. Some infectious diseases can harm your baby, resulting in birth defects, miscarriage or premature birth.
Keeping your vaccinations up to date will protect you and your baby.
Vaccination for older people
Older people are at greater risk from diseases including flu, shingles and pneumococcal disease. In later life, you may also need boosters for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (sometimes known as whooping cough).
Getting vaccinated for a trip abroad
When you travel outside Canada, you may find yourself exposed to a variety of vaccine-preventable diseases that are not common in Canada. These include Japanese encephalitis and Chikungunya virus. That’s why healthcare providers recommend you consult a travel health specialist six to eight weeks before your departure date. At this travel health appointment, you can ensure you are up to date with your vaccine schedule and assess your needs based on destinations and planned activities.
Depending on where you are travelling to, you might also need a certificate for yellow fever vaccination. Some countries won’t let you enter without this proof of vaccination or immunity. Some branches of Canadian Travel Clinics are designated yellow fever vaccination centres that can provide this immunisation and accompanying certificate.
It’s quick and easy to make a travel health appointment with Canadian Travel Clinics – we have plenty of vaccine centres in convenient downtown locations, including our travel clinic in Ottawa.