Vaccination questions answered by the diocesan advisor

With a few production and distribution bumps along the way, several COVID-19 vaccines are now available in Canada with more doses on the way. As Canada and other countries work to vaccinate as many people as possible in a race against the spread of COVID variants of concern, Crosstalk asked the Rev. Michael Garner, associate incumbent at St. Thomas the Apostle, a few questions about vaccines.

Prior to his ordination in 2019, Garner worked as an infectious disease epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency of Canada, focusing primarily in research and control of emerging infectious diseases, and he has been advising the Diocese throughout the pandemic. 

Should everyone be vaccinated?  

Yes everyone who is eligible should be vaccinated. The vaccines are not available for certain groups—young children, some pregnant women, some with preexisting conditions especially those who are immune compromised.  Because there are these vulnerable groups who cannot be vaccinated, it is imperative for those who can be vaccinated  to get vaccinated, to protect themselves but also to protect those who don’t have the choice to receive the vaccine.

Are all the vaccines safe (and equally safe)?

All the vaccines are safe. As with any medication there are rare side effects, and as with all vaccines there can be minor side effects after vaccination like a sore arm. The unprecedented roll out (100s of millions of doses already) and the very low reports of any serious side effects should give us comfort in the safety. As well, the side effects of these vaccines are being tracked carefully by all governments, so it is extremely unlikely that there are side effects that we are not picking up in our surveillance efforts.

Is there any opportunity to choose which one you receive? If so, which one is the best one to choose?

The best vaccine is the one offered. All the vaccines are approved by Health Canada and are effective and safe.

I have condition X— should I get vaccinated?

Questions about whether you should be vaccinated or other considerations related to your medical history should be discussed with your physician.

In Ontario, appointments can be booked online or by phone at 1-833-943-3900. In Quebec, appointments can be booked online or by phone at 1-877-644-4545.