BC 2026 Winter – 2027 Spring Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccination Information

11 hours ago

2 min read

Appointment is now open for booking for the 2026 annual influenza (flu) and COVID-19 vaccines, starting as early as the week of October 13.

Vaccination Locations

Community pharmacies
Medical clinics (Note: Clinics usually only schedule vaccinations on one or two designated days)
Public health units in each city

Booking Methods

Online Registration: The most convenient option is logging onto the government website getvaccinated.gov.bc. By entering your address, preferred date, and time, the website will immediately list nearby pharmacies with matching availability, saving you the hassle from having to call every nearby pharmacy one by one.
Phone Hotline: If you don’t know how to use computer, call the government hotline at 1-833-838-2323. Staff there can book on your behalf. If you have family members or friends do not speak English, say "Mandarin" or "Cantonese" or your preferred language once a representative answers your call.
Local Health Centres: Call the public health center in your city of residence (e.g., Burnaby residents can call the Burnaby Public Health Unit).
Pharmacies and Medical Clinics: You can also call your regular pharmacy or family doctor's clinic to inquire.

Influenza Vaccine Types

All flu vaccines this year are trivalent, covering A(H1N1), A(H3N2), and B/Victoria.

Fluviral or Fluzone: Inactivated injectable vaccines (containing killed flu virus), suitable for individuals from 6 months old to seniors.
Fluad: Inactivated injectable vaccine reserved for seniors aged 65 or older. It contains an adjuvant to trigger a more effective antibody response. Supply is usually limited; seniors can receive Fluviral or Fluzone once Fluad stock runs out.
FluMist: Live attenuated nasal spray vaccine (containing live but weakened flu virus). It is less effective than the injections and is restricted to individuals aged 2 to 17 who have a severe fear of needles.

COVID-19 Vaccine Types

mRNA Vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty or Moderna Spikevax. Both feature an updated formula targeting the new JN.1/KP.2 virus strains that circulated last year.
Non-mRNA Vaccine: Novavax Nuvaxovid. Supply is extremely limited. Those who suspect they experienced side effects from previous mRNA vaccinations but still need protection can call the government hotline at 1-833-838-2323 for inquiries.

Important Notes

Age Limits: Most community pharmacies can only administer COVID-19 vaccines to individuals aged 12 or older, and flu vaccines to those aged 4 or older.
Co-administration: It is completely safe to receive two different vaccines at the same time (e.g., Flu, COVID-19, RSV, Pneumococcal, etc.).