* The COVID-19 XBB.1.5 vaccines are available to individuals 6 months of age and older. Currently, there are no authorized COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than 6 months of age.

* Minors under the age of 18 require verbal or written consent from a parent or guardian to be vaccinated.

* Immunization is particularly important for those at increased risk of COVID-19 infection or severe disease, for example:

* Adults 65 years of age or older;

* Residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings;

* Individuals with underlying medical conditions or compromised immune systems that place them at higher risk of severe COVID-19;

* Individuals who are pregnant;

* Individuals in or from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities;

* Members of racialized and other equity-denied communities;

* People who provide essential community services and healthcare workers.

* The mRNA XBB.1.5 vaccines are the only COVID-19 XBB.1.5 vaccines in Alberta at this time and are available to individuals 6 months of age and older.

* For most Albertans, an appointment can be booked if it has been at least 3 months since the last COVID-19 vaccine dose.     

* It is recommended to wait 3 months from a positive COVID-19 test before receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

* COVID-19 vaccines can be administered  at the same time, before or after influenza vaccine and other routine immunizations to individuals 6 months of age or older.

* Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients and CAR T-cell therapy recipients are recommended to consult with their physician regarding COVID-19 vaccine spacing.

* It is recommended to wait 3 months from a positive COVID-19 test before receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

After your vaccine, you may experience minor side effects like fever or aches that go away on their own after a few days. As with all medicines, there is a small chance that there will be a serious side effect (adverse events) like an allergic reaction, so it is important to stay at the place you get your vaccine for 15 minutes after being immunized. Some very rare reactions after COVID-19 vaccines include:

* mRNA vaccines: Rare cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and/or pericarditis (inflammation of the lining around the heart) have been reported after receiving an mRNA vaccine.

* Protein subunit vaccine (Novavax): 2 cases of myocarditis following a second dose of Novavax vaccine were reported during a clinical trial, but current information is insufficient to determine a causal relationship with the vaccine.