The vaccination coverage of children is high in Finland, but there has been a decrease in measles, mumps and rubella vaccine coverage
Coverage for second doses of MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccines administered to six-year-old children has decreased, which increases the risk of a measles epidemics. Being unvaccinated remains rare in Finland, but the share of fully unvaccinated children is higher than previously.
According to recent statistics from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), only about 91 per cent of children born in 2017 have received a second dose of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. The vaccine is administered to six-year-old children as part of the national vaccination programme.
More than 95 per cent of the population must receive two doses of the MMR vaccine in order to break measles transmission chains and provide herd immunity against the disease.
Measles is an infectious condition affecting the entire body, and serious secondary conditions may occur. Regardless of age, it can be a serious illness for anyone who does not have the protection provided by having had the disease or having received vaccinations.
“Measles is highly contagious. The more contagious the disease, the greater the share of the population must be vaccinated. Up to 9 out of 10 unprotected persons who are exposed to measles get the disease,” says Mia Kontio, Chief Specialist at THL.
Vaccination coverage for second doses of the MMR vaccine is slightly lower nationally for the second consecutive year, and coverage is declining even more sharply in several wellbeing services counties. However, the reasons for the decrease in coverage are not fully known.
The same development can also be seen internationally. No country has reached the coverage numbers achieved for measles vaccinations prior to the coronavirus pandemic, and epidemics have also increased in high-income countries.
“The global measles situation means that we have to increase MMR vaccination coverage in Finland. That is the only way to reduce the risk of an epidemic,” says Kontio.
Vaccination coverage differs between wellbeing services counties
Regarding the first dose of the MMR vaccine given to children at one year of age, eleven wellbeing services counties areas are already falling below a 95 per cent coverage rate. The vaccination coverage in the Kanta-Häme wellbeing services county has dropped the most in this regard.
For the second dose of the MMR vaccine, only two wellbeing services county, Northern Savonia and Southern Savonia, have reached a coverage rate of over 95 per cent.
The situation is particularly concerning in the wellbeing services counties of South Karelia, Western Uusimaa, Åland, Northern Ostrobothnia, and Kanta-Häme, where the coverage rate is below 90 per cent. For example, the coverage for second doses of the MMR vaccine in the South Karelia was 81 per cent among children born in 2017 as opposed to almost 95 per cent among those born in 2013.
However, regional differences in Finland are small in comparison to international numbers.
“In many areas with lower coverage, sustained efforts have been made to increase vaccination uptake, and the differences in vaccination coverage between wellbeing services counties are narrowing for many vaccines,” says Kontio.
Vaccination coverage for other children’s vaccines included in the national vaccination programme are at a good level
Vaccines included in the national vaccination programme are free of charge. They are administered to children at child health clinics, school health care or at local health centres.
With the exception of second doses of the MMR vaccine, the vaccination coverage for other children’s vaccines included in the national vaccination programme is at a good level. THL’s latest statistics examined coverage for children born in 2017 and 2022.
Nearly 98 per cent of children born in 2022 have started the 5-in-1 vaccine series, which protects them against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Hib diseases.
In addition, 97 per cent of children of the same age have started the PCV vaccine series that provides protection against diseases caused by the pneumococcal bacteria. A total of 95 per cent of children born in 2022 have started the MMR vaccine series, which protects them against measles, mumps and rubella.
The coverage of the chicken pox vaccine has increased with each successive year ever since the vaccine became a part of the vaccination programme. Vaccination coverage for the chicken pox vaccine is 89 per cent for children born in 2022.
More than 95 per cent of children born in 2017 have received the 4-in-1 vaccine to protect against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio. In comparison to the previous year, 4-in-1 vaccine coverage has increased in all wellbeing services counties.
Of children born in 2022, 1.9 per cent are completely unvaccinated, which is slightly more than in previous age groups. In some cases, vaccines are supplemented after the recommended age in the vaccination programme. Of children born in 2017, 0.9 per cent are completely unvaccinated.
Information on vaccine coverage is based on up-to-date information from the Finnish national vaccination register, which comes from the patient data systems. Because of problems with recording vaccinations and transferring data, true vaccination coverage is probably higher than figures in the vaccination register suggest.
More information
Vaccination programme for children and adults (THL)
Mia Kontio
Chief Specialist
Tel. +358 29 524 8365
firstname.lastname@thl.fi
Camilla Jordman
Specialist
THL
firstname.lastname@thl.fi
Anni Koivisto
Specialist
THL
firstname.lastname@thl.fi
