356,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine to arrive next week

About 356,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines will arrive in Finland next week and the number is significantly large compared to the present week, said the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in a press release on Monday.

About 240,000 doses of vaccines were imported this week.

“It is certainly a very good thing that we will get so many vaccine doses next week. In the following weeks, deliveries of vaccines are also expected to continue – at a rate of more than 280,000 doses a week, which means that we will be able to maintain vaccinations at a good pace”, said THL Leading Expert Mia Kontio.

More than 50 percent of adult people have had their first doses and this week the proportion of all recipients of the first dose who are over the age of 16 rose to 51 percent.

“Vaccine coverage is rising at a good pace. For example, 80 percent of those aged 50 and over have received at least their first vaccines. At present, vaccines are being offered according to age groups from the oldest to the youngest. In most municipalities, vaccines are under way for those aged 40-60, but in some places, appointments have been given to all aged 16 and over”, Kontio said.

About 43 percent of the entire Finnish population, or about 2,4 million people, have had their first doses of the vaccine. About 8 percent, or 460,000 people have already received their second doses. In the coming weeks about 110,000 – 130,000 second doses will be administered.

“It is very important to take the second dose as well to get the best possible protection. The second dose extends the duration of the protection and it boosts the effectiveness of the protection against virus variants that have also been detected in Finland”, Kontio said.