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All corona vaccines used in Finland protect very well against severe coronavirus disease - there is little difference in vaccine efficacy

Publication date 29 Jul 2021

All coronavirus vaccines used in Finland provide good protection against coronavirus disease and excellent protection against its severe forms. 

There is little difference between the different vaccine products used in Finland in terms of how well they provide protection against coronavirus disease. 

Three vaccine products are currently in use in Finland:

  • AstraZeneca Vaxzevria (adenovirus vector vaccine)
  • BioNTech-Pfizer Comirnaty (mRNA vaccine)
  • Moderna Spikevax (mRNA vaccine)

At the moment, the AstraZeneca vaccine is offered to those aged 65 or over in Finland. BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine is offered to those aged 16 or over and those aged 12 to 15 who are at risk of severe coronavirus disease. Moderna mRNA vaccine is offered to people aged 18 or over. 

All the coronavirus vaccines currently in use in Finland are given in two doses. The first vaccination already protects against coronavirus disease, but the protective efficacy increases after the second dose. The second dose of vaccine also ensures that the protection lasts as long as possible.

Getting the corona vaccine is voluntary.

Recent research data confirms equal protective efficacy

Public debate in recent days may have worried people who have received an AstraZeneca Vaxzevria vaccine. The discussion may have led to believe that the vaccine is less effective than the BioNTech-Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

In the light of accumulated research data, this is not true. Like mRNA vaccines, the full two-dose Vaxzevria vaccine provides a very good protection against corona disease.

According to a recent European review article and 30 published and peer reviewed effectiveness studies, recipients of two doses of Comirnaty or Vaxzevria vaccine did not show a significant difference in protective efficacy against coronavirus disease, asymptomatic or symptomatic, including the symptoms requiring severe hospital treatment. (1)

In addition, the recent non peer-reviewed ex-ante publication by the British Institute of Public Health shows that there is no significant difference in the protective efficacy of Comirnaty and Vaxzevria against corona requiring hospitalisation caused by alpha and delta virus variants, which are common in Finland. (2)

"According to these recent international studies, both AstraZeneca and BioNTech-Pfizer protect against 80% to 90% of the most severe forms of coronavirus," says Hanna Nohynek, Chief Physician at THL.

References

  1. Harder T et al. Efficacy and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection: interim results of a living systematic review, 1 January to 14 May 2021. Eurosurveillance 15 July 2021
     
  2. Stowe at al. Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against hospital admission with the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant. (NOTE: Un peer-reviewed ex-ante publication)

 

Further information:


Getting vaccinated against COVID-19: how, why, and when?
 
Efficacy of vaccines against COVID-19

 

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