The following information was developed for Labatt by medical professionals and public health experts using Canadian government and other scientific and medical sources.
It is not intended as medical advice. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.
Speak with your doctor or health care provider before receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
You should not get the COVID-19 vaccine if you have a history of severe allergic reaction (also called anaphylaxis) to any ingredient in the vaccine. If you have a history of severe allergic reaction to something else that is not in the vaccine, you should discuss it with your health care provider before deciding whether or not to receive the vaccine.
If you had a severe or immediate reaction to the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, you should not receive a second dose.
You should not get the vaccine if you have:
The COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Canada do not contain eggs, gelatin, pork, mercury, formaldehyde, aluminum, thimerosal, latex, or fetal cells.
The complete list of ingredients for each vaccine can be found at:
Pfizer-BioNTech: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/covid19-industry/drugs-vaccines-treatments/vaccines/pfizer-biontech.html
Johnson & Johnson: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/covid19-industry/drugs-vaccines-treatments/vaccines/janssen.html
All of the COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Canada are highly effective against the variant of concern first identified in the United Kingdom, which is now the dominant strain in Canada.
While somewhat less effective against the South African and Brazilian variants, it is believed that the vaccines approved in Canada still provide important protection against these variants.
Vaccine manufacturers are reworking their vaccines to better account for variants of concern.
No, none of the vaccines approved for use in Canada will give you a positive COVID-19 test. Neither the PCR nor the antigen test will detect the material in the approved COVID-19 vaccines. And neither test measures the body’s response (e.g., antibody production) to the vaccine.
No, the COVID-19 vaccine cannot give you COVID-19. None of the vaccines approved for use in Canada contain the COVID-19 virus.
Both types of COVID-19 vaccines approved in Canada – mRNA and viral vector vaccines – have been studied in animal and human trials for years. Health Canada has conducted a rigorous scientific review of the available medical evidence to assess the safety of COVID-19 vaccines and no major safety concerns have been identified in the reviewed data. Health Canada is closely monitoring the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines being administered in Canada, in close collaboration with provinces and territories.
After vaccination, it is common to have temporary mild or moderate side effects, including:
These are normal signs that your body is building protection and these symptoms should go away within a few days. If your symptoms are significant or worsening, consult your health care provider.
Very rarely, a more serious side effect called anaphylaxis may occur. This generally occurs within several minutes or the first hour after vaccination. For this reason, people receiving their COVID-19 vaccine are asked to remain for at least 15 minutes following vaccination so that health care personnel can monitor individuals for any serious reactions.
A lot was already known about other viruses in the coronavirus family (like the SARS virus), so we weren’t starting from scratch. Governments invested billions of dollars to find effective vaccines and there was unprecedented international cooperation. Thousands of individuals quickly volunteered to participate in clinical trials of the different vaccines, saving time. And unlike other vaccines, manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines began during the studies themselves so that companies would have a ready stockpile once approved. No steps were skipped during the clinical trials.
Canada has one of the highest standards in the world for vaccine review, safety and approval.
Health Canada has conducted a rigorous scientific review of the available medical evidence to assess the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. No major safety concerns have been identified in the reviewed data.
Health Canada has determined that the approved COVID-19 vaccines are safe for use by Canadians.