The Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS) said on Friday that it has begun offering a third dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine as it aims to use the clips before they expire.
In a statement, HUS said it would immediately begin offering a third dose of the vaccine to fully vaccinated individuals at high risk for complications from infections, as well as to healthcare staff treating Covid patients.
The HUS and the Uusimaa Regional Coronavir Coordination Group, including the municipalities covered by the hospital district, made a joint decision on Thursday, the press release said.
The HUS pharmacy currently has 15,000 doses of Moderna Covid-19 in stock, and their expiry date is 22 September.
Permission granted
"It is unusual to start a third round of vaccination before the regulations enter into force, but we considered the aging of vaccines to be a sufficient justification for this decision," said Jari Petäjä, Chairman of the Uusimaa Regional Coordination Group.
According to Petja, HUS has already received oral permission to provide a third dose from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
According to the hospital district, it had worked to use outdated vaccines in the first and second doses and provided them to municipalities, private health care providers and the military. However, about 15,000 were still in stock.
HUS said he hoped "early decision" with an official third push program to allow vaccinations to continue after the use of the Modern aging bath.
According to the health care district, the availability of vaccines in Uusimaa was "excellent"and added that the decision to start offering the third dose did not affect the availability of the first or second dose to residents of the area.