The NWT has received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine was approved by Health Canada on December 23, 2020.

Vaccines, like all medications, can have side effects. Side effects to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are usually mild or moderate, and should last only a few days after vaccination. Side effects of the vaccine may be more common after the second dose.

Common side effects to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are:
• Pain, redness or swelling where the vaccine was given
• Swelling and tenderness in the arm pit
• Fatigue 
• Headache
• Muscle or joint pain
• Chills
• Fever

To help with side effects, use a cool cloth over the sore arm and ask your health care provider if you can take medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain and fever.

If you have unusual or severe side effects, contact your health care provider immediately.

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is reported to be 92% efficacious 14 days or more after your first dose and 94% efficacious 14 days or more after you receive the second dose. Those who got COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine only experienced mild symptoms and disease. The vaccine protects against severe disease and death.

mRNA vaccines are different from other vaccines because they don’t contain any weakened or dead virus. mRNA vaccines send messages to your cells to teach them how to make a protein similar to the one found on the virus. Once this protein is made, it tells your immune system to make antibodies against COVID-19. These antibodies give your body a head start in fighting theinfection if COVID-19 ever tries to enter your body.

After the antibodies are made, your body gets rid of the mRNA and protein naturally. There is no chance of the mRNA touching or changing your DNA. There is also no chance of getting COVID-19 from the vaccine because there is no virus inside it.

To read more about mRNA vaccines, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/covid19-industry/drugs-vaccines-treatments/vaccines/type-mrna.html.

Moderna has reported its vaccine is 94% efficacious 14 days or more after the second dose, while Pfizer has reported its vaccine is 95% efficacious 14 days or more after the second dose. Both are extremely high efficacy rates for any vaccine. To put this in perspective, the annual influenza vaccine is generally between 50-60% effective, and still provides high value for population health purposes.

The NWT has received a total of 19,100 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine so far:

• 7,200 doses on December 28, 2020
• 7,200 doses on January 14, 2021
• 4,700 doses on February 5, 2021

More shipments are expected between February and March 2021.

Self-isolation requirements and travel restrictions will not be lifted immediately. Public health orders will be reviewed by the Chief Public Health Officer on a regular basis as vaccination rates increase and infection rates decrease both in the NWT and the rest of Canada. 

The manufacturer has only studied its safety and efficacy on adults, so the Moderna vaccine is only recommended for those 18 years of age and older at this time.  As more clinical trials are completed, recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) may change.

COVID-19 vaccines are still being studied in those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, immunocompromised, or have an autoimmune disorder. As of January 12 2021, NACI recommends that these groups should be offered the vaccine if verbal consent is given after the risks and benefits are reviewed with the health care professional administering the vaccine. Depending on the individual, the benefits of getting the vaccine for increased protection against COVID-19 may outweigh the risks of getting the vaccine before research is complete.

Vaccine information will be entered into our current Electronic Medical Record system to allow a permanent record of administration.

You will also receive an Immunization Card for your personal records only. The Immunization Card is not considered an official record to be used as proof for travel or other purposes. If you need proof of vaccination for any reason, fill out the Request to Access or Correct Your Health Information Form and contact your local public health unit or community health centre to request a copy of your vaccine record.

It is important that you return for your second dose to be considered immunized against COVID-19.

These people should not get the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine:

• People who have had an allergy to a previous dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
• People who have had an allergy to part of the vaccine or its packaging

You can find a list of ingredients for the Moderna vaccine here.

We can’t predict this yet. Isolation centres exist to protect our residents from COVID-19 entering the territory. We will need to consider vaccination rates and infection rates in the NWT and across Canada before making any adjustments to travel restrictions or self-isolation requirements. 

Doses for the whole population will not arrive at the same time. For this reason, the NWT has adopted a phased approach to vaccination starting with high risk populations first.

On January 5, the GNWT released Immunity for our Communities: The Northwest Territories COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy, which takes into account the NWT’s distinct geography and population, guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), and recommendations from Indigenous and community governments.

The strategy outlines priority populations as those who:

• Are advanced in age: the risk of COVID-19 severity starts to increase after age 60. Most vulnerable in this category are those who live in long-term care facilities or in shared living environments.
• Have existing chronic disease and comorbidities: residents with conditions like chronic lung, kidney, or heart disease are at greater risk for experiencing severe form of COVID-19 and its complications. Those who travel outside the NWT regularly for medical care are at even greater risk.
• Are likely to transmit COVID-19 to those at high risk of severe illness and death: this risk group may include frontline health care workers, or those who provide care to high risk vulnerable populations.
• Are resident workers who live in NWT, but work regularly out of territory or at work camps with out-of-territory workers are at elevated risk of acquiring COVID-19 and transmitting to family, household members, or those in the community.
• Live in a remote community, including Indigenous communities, with limited health infrastructure in comparison to larger centers.

Two specialized freezers from the Public Health Agency of Canada are located in Yellowknife and Inuvik with sufficient capacity for the entire territory’s vaccine needs. The Public Health Agency of Canada also is supplying the NWT with specialized equipment to transport the vaccine to each of our communities.

No, the important part is that you receive both doses. The NWT Electronic Medical Record (EMR) – which is used by all health care providers in the territory – is the permanent record for all vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine.

Residents are encouraged to get the vaccine in their home community. If travel is required elsewhere in the NWT and vaccine appointments are available, residents are allowed to get the vaccine in another NWT community.
 

Canada’s comprehensive vaccine safety monitoring program ensures the continued quality, safety, and effectiveness of all vaccines in use. NWT residents can be confident that a COVID-19 vaccine is only approved by Health Canada after top experts, scientists, and medical professionals have carefully reviewed all of the scientific data and evidence for vaccine safety and effectiveness.

Health Canada is also committed to continued monitoring of the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines as they roll out with a well-established system that includes collaboration between federal, provincial, and territorial governments.

Like any medication, vaccines can cause side effects and reactions. After being vaccinated, it's common to have mild side effects; this is the body's natural response as it works to build immunity against a disease.

Although severe or allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine are very rare, the nurse will ask you to stay at the clinic for 15 minutes after you get your vaccine. This is common practice with all vaccines.

If a reaction happens after you leave the site of vaccination – call 9-1-1 or your local community health centre, or go to the emergency department or local community health centre right away.

No. Much like Canada’s response to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, federal, provincial, and territorial governments are working together to ensure all Canadians have equitable access to the vaccine free of charge.

Although we strongly encourage health care staff to get vaccinated, it is not mandatory. Whether they get vaccinated or not, health care staff will continue to follow routine public health measures as well as employer protocols and guidance while at work. 

No. Like all vaccines administered by the GNWT, uptake of the Moderna vaccine is a choice that is highly encouraged to obtain herd immunity. Even if you are not at high risk for severe disease from COVID-19, getting vaccinated will help protect your family, household, workplace, or community where others may be at high risk of severe illness but are not eligible for the vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccine is expected to arrive in the NWT between January and March 2021. The GNWT is still finalizing its vaccination plan, and an exact date for public distribution will be confirmed once the vaccine is approved by Health Canada.

Moderna has reported its vaccine is 94.5% effective, while Pfizer has reported its vaccine is 95% effective. Both are extremely high efficacy rates for any vaccine. To put this in perspective, the annual influenza vaccine is generally between 50-60% effective, and still provides high value for population health purposes.