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This year's spike in Covid-19 deaths is not being adequately publicized, Lasse Lehtonen, the head of diagnostic services at Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), told Yle on Thursday.
An inaccurate understanding of the country's pandemic situation could lead to fewer people seeking out third vaccine doses — also referred to as boosters, Lehtonen said, noting that if Covid deaths continue at their current pace it would be 'catastrophic'.
Finland has recorded more Covid deaths in the first five months of 2022 than it did during all of last year. The country surpassed an overall total of 4,000 Covid deaths as of last Thursday, according to the Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
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This spring the epidemic has caused as many as 200 deaths a week.
Lehtonen added that it is important to publish and discuss the newest pandemic figures "weekly" so that people in Finland gain an accurate picture of the ongoing situation.
"My intention is not to fear-monger," Lehtonen said, "but I believe we need to tell it as it is."
As of last week, there were 774 patients with Covid in hospitals around the country, 21 of whom in intensive care.