The corona virus vaccine is recommended also for teenagers from 12 to 15 years old, and for pregnant women

The legislation change issued by the government concerning the Covid-19 vaccinations came into effect on 9.8.2021, and based on that voluntary and free of charge corona virus vaccinations are now offered to everyone aged 12-15 years. Previously the vaccine has been offered to everyone over 16 years and to those aged 12-15 years that belong to medical risk groups. Young persons may make the decision whether they want to take the vaccination, if a health care professional judges them capable of making the decision, and the young person wants to make the decision. Otherwise their guardians’ consent is needed. 

Also young people may contract a corona virus disease that requires hospitalization and suffer from prolonged symptoms and sequelae, even though a severe disease form is rare in healthy youths. With the vaccination young people can protect their close ones in addition to themselves from the corona virus disease, and particularly its severe form. Additionally the vaccinations decrease the need for limitations targeted at children and young people.

In pre-marketing authorization studies the efficacy of the vaccines against a symptomatic disease in young people was excellent, and the adverse effects were similar to those in adults. The most common ones were mild and temporary, e.g. redness, swelling and pain of the injection site, headache, tiredness, muscle pain, chills or fever. 

The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare recommends the corona virus vaccine also to all pregnant women, because the easily transmitted delta variant increases the risk of the corona virus disease, particularly the severe form. The mother’s risk of falling severely ill increases due to the physiological changes during pregnancy, and the corona virus disease may increase the risk of giving birth prematurely.

The baby may also benefit from the vaccination, because the antibodies generated by the vaccination may transmit from the mother to the baby, and somewhat protect the newborn. The risk of infection transmitted from the mother to the baby also decreases, if the mother is vaccinated.

Sources

• Valtioneuvosto: COVID-19 vaccine to be offered to all 12–15-year-olds in Finland
• THL: Municipalities may begin coronavirus vaccinations of all 12–15-year-olds
• THL: Coronavirus vaccinations for children and young people
• THL: Five questions and answers on coronavirus vaccinations of young people
• THL: THL suosittelee koronarokotusta raskaana oleville – viruksen deltamuunnos on kasvattanut vakavan taudin riskiä odottavilla (in Finnish)
• Mediuutiset: THL suosittelee koronarokotusta raskaana oleville – Rokotuksen aikaansaamat vasta-aineet voivat siirtyä äidin elimistöstä sikiölle (in Finnish)