COVID-19 vaccination

Make an appointment

You can also make an appointment by phoning 1‑877‑644‑4545 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.).

The main goal of COVID-19 vaccination is to reduce the complications, hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19. Vaccination may also prevent symptoms that last several months after infection, also called “long-COVID”.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is offered free of charge to all targeted individuals aged 6 months or older. The number of doses and the intervals between doses depend on the age, vaccination history and medical condition of the individual.

In the spring of 2024, vaccination with a dose of vaccine containing the XBB.1.5 variant is specifically recommended:

• People living in CHSLDs, RPAs, and other group settings with a high proportion of elderly and vulnerable individuals
• People aged 80 years and older
• People aged 6 months and older who are immunocompromised or on dialysis;
• People aged 60 to 79, especially those who have never had COVID-19, who live with a chronic illness, or who live in remote and isolated areas;
• People who have never received a dose of vaccine containing the XBB.1.5 variant:
  • Those aged six months and over living with a chronic disease (heart, lung, diabetes, severe obesity, etc.)
  • Those aged 60 to 79
  • Healthcare workers
  • Pregnant women
  • Adults living in remote and isolated areas

People already vaccinated against COVID-19 should wait six months after their vaccination before receiving this new dose.

Although the benefits are less significant for them, non-targeted individuals aged six months and older could also receive the spring 2024 dose if they request it.

After infection with COVID-19, a person should wait at least six months before receiving a dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

For immunocompromised or dialyzed individuals, an interval of 4 weeks or more after infection is recommended. However, an interval of 21 days or more may be applied in some circumstances, as recommended by a healthcare professional.

Québec experts recommend messenger RNA vaccines because they are more effective.

Pediatric formulations of these vaccines are used for children aged from 6 months to 11 years.

These vaccines are approved for people 12 years of age and older in one of the following situations:

• When messenger RNA vaccines are contraindicated
• When a person refuses a messenger RNA vaccine.

When a person is vaccinated against COVID-19, the body prepares its defence against the virus. A natural immune response is triggered that neutralizes the virus by producing antibodies and other defence cells.

The virus that causes COVID‑19 is composed of a strand of genetic material, RNA (ribonucleic acid), surrounded by an envelope. The surface of the virus contains proteins, including the S protein (spike protein) which gives it its crown shape, hence its name coronavirus. The S protein allows the virus to infect cells in the human body.

COVID-19 messenger RNA vaccines block the S protein, preventing the virus from entering and infecting human cells.

The COVID-19 recombinant protein vaccines with adjuvant contains the S protein (spike protein) and uses it as an antigen. The addition of adjuvant facilitates activation of the immune system cells to prevent the virus from entering human cells and infecting them.

These vaccines do not protect against colds and respiratory infections caused by other viruses, such as influenza.

Vaccines cannot cause COVID-19 because they do not contain the SRAS-CoV-2 virus, which is responsible for the disease.

Vaccination may cause side effects such as redness at the injection site. Other problems may arise by chance and are unrelated to vaccination, such as a cold or gastroenteritis.

Most reactions are mild and short-lived. Local reactions may occur up to 8 days after vaccination. They are most common after the second dose. For further information, please refer to the Vaccine information sheets for population .

The COVID‑19 vaccines approved by Health Canada are safe. They have been tested in quality studies on a large number of people and have gone through all the necessary steps prior to approval. They must meet the same quality and safety standards as any other vaccine used in Canada. Experts closely monitor any adverse events that might occur after vaccination and take measures to ensure that these vaccines are safe and effective.

Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 is no longer required for travel outside Quebec. The Vaxicode application and the self-service portal for electronic proof of vaccination are no longer available.

The vaccines you have received are recorded in the Quebec Vaccination Registry. To obtain a copy of your vaccination information, you must make a request on the Procedure for requesting personal information page.

Quebec residents vaccinated against COVID-19 elsewhere in Canada or in another country can have the vaccines they have received entered in the Quebec Vaccination Registry and receive their next dose in Quebec.

Those concerned must make an appointment at a local point of service via the Clic Santé platform, by selecting the "Vaccination" category and then the "COVID-19 Vaccine - Vaccines received outside Quebec (registration in the vaccination register)" sub-category. Several local points of service have been designated in each region of Quebec to register COVID-19 vaccines administered outside Quebec.

Make an appointment at a local service point

At the local point of service, you'll need to show proof of identity and legible proof of vaccination, in English or French, issued in the country or province where the vaccines were administered. No registration can be made without this written proof. The information on the proof will be validated to make sure that it is a World Health Organization-approved vaccine and that the interval between doses has been respected.

If the information indicated on the proof of vaccination is not correct, the citizen will be notified and invited to make an appointment to be vaccinated at a later date.

If the information indicated on the proof of vaccination is correct, it can be entered in the Quebec Vaccination Register and an electronic proof of vaccination can be sent to the citizen.

If you have not received your electronic proof of vaccination, you can download it by visiting the How to obtain your vaccination passport page.

If your personal information or the brand of the vaccine were not entered or are illegible on your proof of vaccination, they will not be accepted. No registration in the Quebec Vaccination Registry will be made on the basis of a person's word.

In the event that the vaccine previously used is not available at the time of the booster dose, a different product may be used. Ideally, one dose of a vaccine from the same technology.

For example, if a person has received a messenger RNA vaccine, such as Moderna or Pfizer, they should receive another dose of a messenger RNA vaccine whenever possible. This dose will be administered at the interval recommended in the Protocole d'immunisation du Québec  (in French only).