Guest blog: The flu vaccine is the most effective way to avoid the flu
Seasonal flu and its complications affect people of all ages every winter. In Europe, about 50 million people get sick from them every year. The most effective way to protect yourself from the disease is the flu vaccine. How can the changing flu viruses be combated more effectively in the future and people protected from […]
Corona virus vaccinations that have a marketing authorization in Finland
The corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) causes primarily an acute respiratory infection that is spread as a droplet infection. The clinical picture may vary from almost asymptomatic to severe. Advanced age particularly combined with a basic illness increases the risk of a severe illness and death. An immense amount of resources has been employed globally in developing […]
The elderly have many good reasons to get vaccinated
The elderly should get vaccinated to decrease the risk of serious illnesses and reduced functional capacity. By keeping their vaccination coverage up to date, elderly people can lead a full life. “Getting vaccinated is important for the elderly, because ageing weakens the immune system and resistance to disease, which increases susceptibility to illness. Infectious diseases […]
Large differences in HPV vaccination coverage between different regions
According to the national vaccination register, the papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage of girls born in 2009 who started secondary school last autumn was 79% and that of boys of the same age 71%. Vaccination coverage varies from region to region. For example, in Northern Savonia, 88% of girls in the age group had received at […]
Guest blog: Cancers caused by HPV can be eradicated by vaccination
One of the priority projects of the European Union’s cancer control program aims to root out cancers caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) by 2030 in the EU. The EU’s goal is vaccination coverage exceeding 90% for girls and a significant increase in vaccination coverage for boys. The disease burden caused by HPV is […]
Every child deserves to be vaccinated
The vaccination of children helps to prevent many diseases that were once common and are, at worst, life threatening. The youngest children are at the greatest risk of getting these diseases. Finland started vaccinations in the early 1800s with vaccinations against smallpox, but the country continued to have a high rate of child mortality for […]
The number of tick-borne encephalitis cases decreased slightly last year – Espoo Suvisaaristo included in the national vaccination program
According to the Infectious Diseases Registry of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), a total of 123 cases of tick-borne encephalitis were reported in 2022, which is slightly less than the 148 cases in 2021. In previous years, there have been fewer than 100 cases. Based on the monitoring data from 2018 to […]
Guest blog: Hefty package from vaccine product development pipelines – confident for the year ahead
Vaccines should be used more effectively. Finland’s health care expenditures amount to 22 billion euros, of which the vaccination programme covers just 0,14 %. Of the EU member states 77 % spend below 0,5 percent of their health care budget on their vaccination programme. Here in Finland, as well as in EU member states in […]
Immunisation coverage should be verified for both travellers and immigrants
Prior to travelling, it is recommendable to update your vaccinations. Additional vaccinations are sometimes needed. Immigrants often require additional vaccinations as well. Besides bookings and tickets, travellers should also keep their vaccinations in check. − In addition to the immunisations that are mandatory in Finland, additional vaccinations are also needed depending on the destination, […]
Guest blog: Vaccinations help prevent long COVID symptoms
Long-term coronavirus symptoms i.e. ‘long COVID’ are a significant detriment of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. These long-term symptoms are most often reported after severe COVID infections that have required hospital treatment, but long COVID symptoms may also occur after an acute infection with less severe symptoms. The overall picture of the effect of vaccines against long […]