More than 70 per cent of girls born in 2002 have now received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. According to a new report published by the national vaccination register, the HPV vaccination coverage now exceeds 70 per cent in Finland for the first time.
Antibiotic resistance is a growing global problem. A UK-based expert group investigating the problem has suggested that vaccination is one way to prevent antibiotic resistance.
Practically everyone gets chickenpox. The clinical picture varies from mild symptoms to complicated and potentially life-threatening illness. Experts say the vaccine would eradicate chickenpox from Finland in a couple of years. The chickenpox vaccine has been used in parts of the world since the 1990s and it has proved to be safe for the subject.
According to a survey conducted in Espoo and Oulu, the mothers of families with a lower level of education and income are more critical towards the HPV vaccine than the mothers of families with a higher socioeconomic status.
The influenza epidemic is underway throughout Finland. The samples taken from patients indicate that the types of viruses making the rounds are very similar to those in the vaccine (AH1N1pdm09, AH3N2 and the B virus), which means that the seasonal influenza vaccine provides good protection against infection.
More than a million Finns are eligible for a free influenza vaccine. The vaccine is free of charge for young children, people aged 65 and up, people suffering from long-term illnesses and pregnant women. Influenza may pose a danger to these groups.
Students who are at risk of infection during practical training will receive the Hepatitis B vaccine as part of the National Immunisation Programme starting from August 2015.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that can be prevented by vaccination. It is still found in many EU countries where vaccination coverage is low. Outbreaks have been reported this year in several schools in Berlin, Germany.
In the United States, more than 100 people have contracted measles in several states by early February 2015. Cases have also been found in Canada and Mexico. The Philippines saw a major measles outbreak in 2014, caused by the same type as the virus found in California.
According to a study by Statistics Finland, Finns made 7.9 million overnight leisure trips abroad in 2014. Trips to southern Europe grew in popularity.
Estonia and Sweden are the most popular travel destinations for Finns. Trips to Spain, and the Canary Islands in particular, increased. Finns also travelled increasingly to Italy and Greece.