Vaccine Eligibility Updates: Pediatric Pneumococcal and COVID-19

To: Health Care Professionals in Niagara
From: Clinical Services Division, Niagara Region Public Health
Reference: Vaccine Eligibility Updates: Pediatric Pneumococcal and COVID-19
Date: July 10, 2025

This memo is to inform you of updated eligibility to Ontario’s publicly funded pediatric pneumococcal and COVID-19 vaccination programs.

Pneumococcal Vaccine Program Enhancement – High-risk Pediatric Update

Effective immediately, children aged 6 weeks to 17 years who are at high-risk for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and who have previously completed a pneumococcal series that did not include a 20-valent conjugate (e.g. 7, 10, 13 or 15 valent conjugates), are eligible for one additional dose of pneumococcal 20-valent conjugate.

Assess eligibility for 20-valent conjugate in pediatric populations with medical conditions that increase risk for IPD
Pneumococcal 20-valent conjugate should be administered:
- 2 months after the last dose of pneumococcal conjugate (e.g. Prevnar® 13), OR
- At least 1 year after a dose of pneumococcal polysaccharide (e.g. Pneumovax® 23)
Children who have already received pneumococcal 20-valent conjugate do not require any further doses

Eligibility for the adult pneumococcal program remains the same.

The following resources are available for health care providers:

Updated Ontario Ministry of Health health care provider fact sheets for children aged 6 weeks to 17 years old and individuals 18 years of age and older
Patient fact sheet for individuals 6 weeks and older

Order pneumococcal vaccine using:

Vaccine Order Form for Physicians and Primary Care (for routine vaccination using 15-valent conjugate for children 6 weeks to 4 years of age and 20-valent for adults 65 years of age and older)
High Risk Vaccine Order Form (for high risk vaccination using 20-valent conjugate for eligible patients at increased risk for IPD)

Order the notification tear-off pads with QR code for your office to support the parent or legal guardian in reporting their child’s vaccine to Public Health

COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility

The spring COVID-19 doses for high-risk individuals ended June 30, 2025:

Individuals are not recommended to receive their COVID-19 vaccine dose at this time
- Providing immunizations in July and August will delay the receipt of the fall dose
- Individuals should receive immunizations in the fall when the updated vaccine becomes available to ensure optimal protection against the circulating strains
If you determine that your patient can’t delay until the fall and requires COVID-19 vaccination now, you may order and administer this vaccine

The Ontario Ministry of Health has indicated the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine program will begin this fall and will try to align with the Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP). More information will be shared once available.

Contact Public Health

Call 905-688-8248 or 1-888-505-6074 ext. 7396. Please state that you are a health care provider, and we will prioritize your call during times of high call volume.