Good vaccination coverage of small children in Finland

The national vaccination register’s vaccination coverage report shows that there has been a good vaccination coverage rate throughout Finland for children born in 2015. There are differences depending on the type of vaccine and the region, however.

Vaccination rates have been as follows:

• 99% of children receive a series of five vaccines against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio and Hib diseases.
• 96% of children receive a pneumococcal vaccine.
• 94% of children receive an MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella.
• 93% of children receive a rotavirus vaccine.

However, MMR vaccination coverage should be above 95% because measles is highly contagious. If a low vaccination rate persists in a particular region for several years, it can lead to populations in schools and day care centres becoming susceptible to measles.

“Vaccination can sometimes be overlooked. It is important to check a child’s vaccination record at every visit to a child care clinic, and to add vaccinations as needed when a series has been left incomplete. Vaccinations should also be checked more thoroughly when a child starts school and at later school health care visits”, says Ulpu Elonsalo, a physician who is an expert on the subject.

Actual vaccination coverage rates may be higher than the vaccination register indicates because some municipal data may not have been entered. The accuracy and completeness of the national vaccination register is continually being improved in cooperation with health centres and software providers.

References

• THL (in Finnish)