MEMO: New Process for Providing Medical Exemptions for COVID-19 Vaccination

TO: Health Care Professionals in the Niagara Region

FROM: Pandemic Response Division, Niagara Region Public Health

REFERENCE: New Process for Providing Medical Exemptions for COVID-19 Vaccination

DATE: Dec. 22, 2021

The Ontario government is strengthening the proof of vaccination requirements. This new process will help combat fraud, offer greater protection of personal health information, and ease burden on businesses.

Ontarians with exemptions for medical reasons or who are participants in COVID-19-related clinical trials will, once verified, be eligible to download an enhanced vaccine certificate (with a QR code) from the Ontario Portal
This QR code, when scanned by the Verify Ontario app and supported by government issued-ID, will allow patrons access to settings requiring proof of vaccination
Medical notes issued by out-of-province physicians will not be considered eligible for Ontario residents to receive a QR code

Enhancing Proof of Vaccination Requirements

Beginning Jan. 10, 2022 organizations and businesses are advised to no longer accept physician notes as proof that someone is medically exempt from COVID-19 vaccination
Individuals will be required to prove their exemption using the enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code
An individual’s exemption must be reviewed and entered into COVaxON by the Local Public Health Agency (LPHA) in order to be able to access their enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code through the COVID-19 vaccination portal
- The QR code can be used digitally or by printing a paper copy

Obtaining Enhanced Vaccine Certificates for those with Valid Medical Exemptions

Individuals must ask an Ontario physician or registered nurse in the extended class to submit their exemption directly to the LPHA where the issuer’s practice is located
The medical exemption should include
- which valid exemption is applicable
- other information as set out in the exemption template
The patient must consent to collection, use and disclosure of their personal health information to the LPHA in order to create an exemption in COVaxON
Any previously issued medical exemptions must be resent directly to the LPHA by the practitioner. Patients may contact their MD or Nurse practitioner, to request that their exemption be sent directly to the LPHA where the issuer’s practice resides.

Action Required by Physicians and Registered Nurses in the Extended Class

Please use Niagara’s Medical Exemption Covid Template to submit medical exemptions to Niagara Region’s secure fax number: 905-346-1014
To access the template, please contact our COVID-19 Info-Line at 905-688-8248 or 1-888-505-6074, press 7
Please be sure to complete the form in its entirety. Missing fields will result in delayed data entry and will require additional follow up with you.

Once submitted there is no further action required. If the reason for exemption is not within the guidelines outlined by the province (see direct link on the top of the template for the full list of valid medical exemptions) Niagara Region Public Health will follow up with you directly.