Vaccination rates for COVID-19 among elderly remain low in Finland

By mid-October, nearly half of Finland’s population aged 80 and older have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Markku Broas, an infection control chief in the Lapland welfare district, expresses concern about this figure, stating that vaccination coverage is too low. He believes that if the vaccination rate among those over 80 reaches above 80%, it would provide sufficient protection against severe symptoms, hospitalizations, and COVID-related deaths.

Between September and December last year, there were around 2,000 confirmed COVID-19 related deaths recorded, and an additional estimated 2,000 deaths where COVID-19 contributed to the cause during the same period. This indicates that COVID-19 deaths were significantly higher than those caused by influenza, which typically sees between 100 to 500 deaths annually depending on the season’s severity. Broas emphasizes that COVID-19 is considerably more challenging than influenza and poses a serious risk to vulnerable groups.

According to the latest statistics from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), 52.1% of those over 80 in Finland have received the booster shot by mid-October, but regional disparities exist. The highest vaccination rates are in the South Karelia and South Savo welfare districts at 61.9%, while the lowest is in the East Uusimaa welfare district at 29.8%. In Lapland, Broas reports that only 48.4% of residents over 80 are vaccinated, slightly below the national average.

Broas notes that differences in vaccination rates among regions may stem from the information provided about vaccinations and residents’ perception of their importance. Accessibility to vaccination appointments also varies; smaller towns often have better access, while larger urban areas have faced bottlenecks in scheduling.