Preparations are underway in Helsinki to begin dispensing second booster rounds of the Covid vaccine to people over the age of 60 and others belonging to risk groups.
Lasse Lehtonen, head of diagnostic services at Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), said he hoped the Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) will make a decision on the vaccination schedule soon.
Helsinki currently operates two Covid vaccination sites, located in the districts of Malmi and Jätkäsaari, with more to open in the autumn, according to Timo Carpén, the city's medical director. The city has already hired more people to help administer the jabs.
Carpén said the city is waiting for THL to update its guidelines about vaccination schedules, adding that it will respond to any changes. Since vaccine administrators are recruited separately, there are currently no plans to transfer city staff to those positions.
"We will open up times to schedule appointments as soon as possible when the [various affected] groups are due to be vaccinated nationally" Carpén said.
Lehtonen noted that there are two to three million Covid vaccines in Finland, so there should be enough for those who need to be vaccinated. However, some of the vaccines are due to expire in September.
"This is also an argument in favour of starting vaccinations in August at the latest," Lehtonen said.
On Monday, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recommended that everyone over 60 and those in high-risk groups receive the fourth dose of the vaccine as soon as possible.
THL announced earlier this month that it would recommend a fourth vaccine dose for all people aged 65 and over, starting in mid-August. According to those plans, the second booster would start rolling out in September to people over 60 and to those in high-risk groups between 15 and 59 years old.
However, THL's chief physician Hanna Nohynek said on Thursday that the health authority may decide to expedite distribution of the jabs.
Vaccination coverage saves hospital resources
According to Lehtonen, the Covid situation in HUS was currently relatively stable. However, as the BA.5 sub-variant spreads, it can circumvent the protection provided by vaccines and previous coronavirus infections.
In addition, a more infectious variant (BA.2.75) has started to spread in some parts of the world, including India and has also been confirmed in some European countries.
Lehtonen said it is only a matter of time before that variant spreads to Finland. A wave of new infections caused by BA.2.75 is likely to occur in Finland between November and December, he estimated.
Until longer-acting vaccines become available, booster vaccinations will likely have to be renewed continually, especially for those at elevated risk of serious illness from Covid, Lehtonen predicted.
"Although the vaccines may not protect against infection, they still offer good protection against serious disease," Lehtonen noted.
"Maintaining vaccine coverage is crucial to safeguarding medical care. The staffing situation is difficult, so even a small wave of Covid poses challenges for specialist care," Lehtonen said.