Sharp rise in COVID-19 infections also led to increase in fatalities - booster vaccinations protect older recipients against severe disease

In Finland, an increased number of deaths related to coronavirus were recorded among older age groups between 1 January and 30 April 2002. 

The primary reason for the higher mortality is the greater number of coronavirus infections. The Omicron variant began to spread widely among the population early in the year and has also affected elderly and frail persons. Boosters nevertheless give good protection against severe disease and against death, also in at-risk groups.

The exact number of coronavirus infections is not known. Extensive laboratory testing has been dropped in much of the country, and a large proportion of the infections therefore do not make it into the statistics.

“Although there have been many deaths, we nevertheless know that there have been fewer of them in proportion to the total number of infections than with the earlier variants”, says Tuija Leino, Chief Physician at THL.

The disease caused by Omicron tends to be milder than the coronavirus disease caused by the earlier variants, except for the very elderly. Most of those who have been infected have also been vaccinated and are thus protected against a more severe form of the disease.

Even without the coronavirus, there are more deaths in Finland in the winter months than in the summer. One of the factors in this is influenza. However, bigger waves have been avoided in the past couple of years.

“One reason for the especially large number of deaths in the early part of the year among the very frail is that they had been protected against viruses other than COVID-19 in previous winters”, Leino says.

Coronavirus infections have been declining for several weeks now, which is why the number of fatalities has also started to decline. In May so far, there have been significantly fewer deaths registered than in the preceding weeks. Numerically, deaths in March were most frequent among registered infections. Recording deaths in the statistics always follows the infection statistics with a slight delay, as deaths from a coronavirus infection are recorded as late as 30 days after an infection.

The very elderly benefit most from third and fourth doses

Corinavirus fatalities typically involve elderly people with multiple diseases and others over the age of 80 who do not get as good protection from the vaccinations as the rest of the population. Even among them, the third and fourth doses have given good protection against death in 2022. Those aged 60-79 are fairly well protected from severe disease and from death from coronavirus.

The greatest risk of death is among the unvaccinated elderly. This also applies to unvaccinated older people who do not have risk factors that make them vulnerable to a severe disease.

Third and fourth vaccinations can especially benefit those over 80, whose risk of death from coronavirus is the greatest. Fatalities from coronavirus were most frequent among unvaccinated people over the age of 80 who were part of an at-risk group. On the other hand, those of the same age in at-risk groups who have had four doses are well protected against severe disease and death.

“The best way to avoid death from coronavirus is to take all available vaccines. Fourth doses are recommended for those over the age of 80, residents of care homes, and recipients of home care, as well as other frail elderly persons. However, only about half of them have taken a fourth dose. All of those for whom boosters have been recommended should take the vaccines”, Leino says. 

Not even the vaccine can prevent all deaths. A virus infection can lead to the death of an elderly person in poor condition, even though the same infection may cause a very mild disease among other groups. According to the statistics, the coronavirus infection is not necessarily the primary cause of death of those who have died after being infected by the virus; some other illness might be involved. This is especially the case when a person has been hospitalised for some other reason. 

Further information:

Tuija Leino
Chief Physician
THL
[email protected]