Provinces Take Over COVID-19 Vaccines, Annual Shots for High-Risk Groups

Public Health Agency of Canada Announces Changes to COVID-19 Vaccine Funding and Guidance

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has announced that federal funding for COVID-19 vaccines will cease this year. Moving forward, the provinces and territories will be responsible for purchasing and administering the vaccines, as well as determining the timing of vaccination campaigns.

This information was published online by PHAC on Friday, alongside the National Advisory Committee on Immunization's (NACI) COVID-19 vaccine guidance for 2025 through to the summer of 2026.

NACI Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccination

Seniors 80 years and older, residents of long-term care homes, and people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised: Two doses of COVID-19 vaccine per year.

One shot a year, provided they have previously been vaccinated.

Two-dose series can be initiated at any time, as the virus circulates year-round.

In all cases, the NACI recommends using the most up-to-date COVID-19 vaccine available.

Continued Vigilance Against COVID-19

While the responsibility for COVID-19 vaccination programs is transitioning to the provinces and territories, the PHAC and NACI continue to emphasize the importance of ongoing vigilance against the virus. Vaccination remains a crucial tool in protecting individuals and communities from severe illness and death.