49% people get 1st dose of coronavirus vaccine

The proportion of those who have received a first dose of the coronavirus vaccination is approaching one half of the entire population as about 49 percent of the population, or around 2.7 million people, have now been vaccinated, said the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in a press release on Monday.

"Among those in their fifties, the first-dose vaccination coverage is already nearly 80%. Even for those in their forties, the coverage is currently over 60 percent", said Mia Kontio, Chief Specialist at the THL.

A second dose of the coronavirus vaccine, or the full vaccination series, has been administered to about 12 percent of the entire population, or some 675,000 people. This means that around one out of four of those who have received the first vaccination have also received the second dose.

Every week, approximately 170,000 first vaccine doses are administered, whereas over 100,000 people receive their second dose.

"It is very important for everyone to get the second dose on schedule, as it enhances protection against both infection and the disease and guarantees longer lasting protection," Kontio said.

The vaccination coverage of people aged over 80 is excellent, as approximately 92 percent of this age group have received a first dose and 76 percent a second dose of the vaccine.

Of those aged over 70, more than 90 percent have now received a first dose of the vaccine. The proportion of those who have had the second dose is smaller, however; in the age group 75 to 79, for example, this rate is around 36 percent.

"Second-dose vaccinations are currently being administered to the elderly. Receiving two doses of the vaccine is particularly important for the older age groups, as age is the most significant risk factor for a severe coronavirus disease", Kontio added.

A steady flow of the coronavirus vaccine will be delivered to Finland during the month of June, around 320,000 doses a week.

"However, we estimate that the number of vaccine doses arriving in the week before Midsummer will be significantly higher than this, amounting to as many as 400,000 doses”, said Kontio.