The Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) revised its recommendations for the fourth Covid vaccination on Monday and urged municipalities to start giving vaccinations to certain groups already in July or by August 1 at the latest.
This means that 60-79-year-olds and 18-69-year-olds belonging to risk groups can receive a second booster vaccine early.
The Health Agency recommends that the second booster vaccination be given step by step in the following order: 70-79-year-olds who do not belong to the risk groups, 18-69-year-old adults who belong to the risk group, and finally not all 60-69-year-olds. belonging to risk groups.
THL’s announcement follows the recommendation of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), according to which the fourth doses should be given quickly to everyone over 60 and those in risk groups.
"In accordance with ECDC and EMA’s recommendation, we have discussed with the municipalities the possibility of moving the vaccination schedule forward." Mika SalminenTHL’s director of health and safety said.
For the time being, the new recommendation does not apply to 12-17-year-olds at risk. According to THL, the national vaccine advisory board (Krar) intends to discuss and make its own proposal on the continuation of the children’s Covid vaccination program by the beginning of August.
The Health Agency announced earlier this month that it will recommend a fourth vaccine for those over 65 from mid-August and for those over 60 and those in risk groups aged 12-59 in September. .