Adverse reaction to coronavirus vaccine reported in Finland

The first incident of adverse reaction to the coronavirus vaccine has been reported in Finland, said national broadcaster Yle, quoting the Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea.

Vaccination of the Pfizer/BioNTech produced coronavirus vaccine began in Finland on December 27 along with other European countries.

The Chief Medical Officer of Fimea, Maija Kaukonen confirmed Yle about the first report of the adverse impact of the vaccine.

The Physician, however, did not divulge detail in this regard considering the privacy of the patient.

Kaukonen said that incidents of allergic or adverse reactions likely to increase as the vaccination is going on.

"When there are at least five such reports, we will put information on our website about the type of reactions that have occurred," said the Yle report, quoting Kaukonen as saying.

Meanwhile, a senior physician of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) Hanna Nohynek told Yle that incidents of adverse reaction to a new vaccine are not surprising, particularly in the early stages of a vaccination.

Coronavirus vaccination began in Finland on December 27 with vaccination of health workers of the front-line Intensive Care Unit (ICU), emergency department, and lung unit of the Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) district first.

Later the vaccination began at other big cities also.

A total of 9,750 doses of vaccines arrived in the first batch and about 5,000 people will get the vaccine as it requires two doses.

The healthcare and social welfare workers, people above 70 years, and persons at high risk of contracting severe COVID-19 disease are on the priority list to get the vaccines, said the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Municipalities are responsible for organising the vaccinations. The Finnish institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is responsible for delivering the vaccines to the municipalities and for providing them with expert assistance.

The vaccination data must be transmitted to the Finnish National Vaccination Register maintained by the THL in real time.