Vaccines are medicine that help stop you from getting some serious and often deadly diseases. Unlike other medicines which usually treat illness that has already happened, vaccines help stop you from getting sick in the first place.

Vaccines do this by helping the body’s protection system, known as the immune system, to quickly recognize the bad germ that causes that diseases. If you ever meet that bed germ again, your body will stop it before you can get sick.

Our cells use the mRNA as an instruction manual to help build proteins and our body’s natural immune response to COVID-19. mRNA is not able to enter the nucleus of the cell (where DNA is stored), therefore it cannot change your DNA. (CDC)

It is possible to get re-infected with COVID-19; however, the vaccines lower your risk of reinfection and the severity of any infections that do occur. It is important to continue to try limiting your risk of getting COVID-19.

Health Canada conducted a rigorous scientific review of the available medical evidence to assess the safety of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Health Canada did not identify any major safety concerns, and continues to monitor post-marketing studies. Millions of children have safely received the Pfizer vaccine in Canada and around the world.

Visit nshealth.ca more information on myocarditis/pericarditis.

All children have been affected throughout the pandemic, as they have experienced disruptions to their normal social activities.

While most children who get COVID-19 have no symptoms or experience only mild symptoms, some get really sick requiring care in the hospital. Children may also experience symptoms consistent with long COVID. While it appears that children have a lower risk of long COVID compared to adults, research is ongoing about the frequency and severity of long COVID in children.

You will gain protection from the virus without having to experience the disease. You will protect your community. You may feel pain, but you can use a numbing cream, sit comfortably, or distract yourself to lessen it. You may have side effects like redness that should resolve in 24-48 hours. Older adults usually experience fewer side effects from COVID-19 vaccines than other age groups.

Over time, protection from the primary series of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine can decrease. Booster doses can increase the immune response and help improve protection against COVID-19.

Both the Moderna and Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccines provide enhanced protection against COVID-19 when offered as a booster dose.

Yes. Booster doses are doses of a vaccine that are given after the initial doses. An additional dose is an extra dose recommended for people with a weakened immune system. This includes people who have specific health conditions or who take medications that affect their immune system (e.g., common variable immunodeficiency, cancer chemotherapy). Booster doses are still needed after an additional dose.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends getting first booster doses 168 days (24 weeks, or around 6 months) after the last dose of the initial series. A second booster dose should be given 168 days (24 weeks, or around 6 months) after the first booster dose. Advice about timing of booster doses is different in different parts of Canada and around the world.

It is possible that more doses will be recommended. We are still learning about booster doses for COVID-19. It is common for protection from vaccines to drop over time, especially when the initial doses are given close together. Future booster doses may target new variants.

Between primary series doses (1 and 2*)

✓ 56 days (8 weeks) – Ages 6 months and older *Nova Scotians who are moderately to severely immunocompromised will need a third dose of vaccine to complete their primary series. The interval between the first and second doses is 28 days (4 weeks) and the interval between the second and third doses is 56 days (8 weeks). Between end of primary series and first booster

✓ 168 days (24 weeks) – Ages 5-11 (120 days if moderately to severely immunocompromised) Between last dose (booster or primary series) and fall dose

✓ 168 days (24 weeks) – Ages 12+

✓ 120 days (17 weeks) – People age 70+, people age 12+ who are moderately to severely immunocompromised or are residents of long-term care or senior congregate living settings, people age 55+ who are First Nations, and people age 50+ who are African Nova Scotian, and pregnant people.

If you had COVID-19 and require your primary series doses, you should wait at least 8 weeks to get the vaccine. If you had COVID-19 and have completed your primary series, you should wait 168 days to get your next dose. Those who are eligible for a shortened interval of 120 days between vaccine doses should also follow this interval after recovery.

It is safe for people age 5+ to receive both vaccines at the same time, no waiting period is required between vaccines. Children 6 months-4years should wait 14 days between vaccines.

Mixing doses of mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) is completely safe. You may be offered a different mRNA vaccine for your next dose than you received previously. Both mRNA vaccines are safe and effective. Public Health recommends that Nova Scotians aged 12 and older who are eligible for the fall dose receive the bivalent vaccine rather than an original mRNA vaccine. While all vaccines provide good protection, the bivalent is more likely to protect against the Omicron variant of COVID-19.