THL: COVID-19 booster dose likely to be recommended for elderly people and certain risk groups in the autumn
According to the current estimate of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is likely to be recommended for elderly people and certain risk groups in the autumn. The vaccine is to be administered simultaneously with the influenza vaccine in November–December.
THL will revise its estimate in June, when more detailed information will be available on, for example, the vaccine in use in the autumn and its estimated efficacy against variants circulating at that time. The number of new vaccines received in Finland and the composition approved by the pharmaceutical authority will also be specified then.
“This is preliminary information on a possible future recommendation. It is important that operators in the field are able to plan and prepare for vaccinations well in advance. However, we will keep monitoring new research data on vaccines and their estimated impact in different population groups so that we can specify the estimate and recommendation,” says Hanna Nohynek, Chief Physician at THL.
Wellbeing services counties are responsible for organising vaccinations, and they inform residents where and when the vaccine is available.
The recommendations on COVID-19 vaccines are based on joint assessments of the National Advisory Committee on Vaccines and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
Current recommendations still valid
The booster vaccine that is likely to be recommended in the autumn applies to those over the age of 65 and to medical risk groups. Based on current research data, healthy adults under the age of 65, including social and health care professionals, and children do not need an additional booster in the autumn. The autumn vaccination recommendation will be confirmed if there are medical and epidemiological grounds to do so.
According to the current estimate, the medical risk groups for COVID-19 and influenza should be harmonised as much as possible. Both vaccines are recommended for those over the age of 65, those in medical risk groups and those who are pregnant.
THL's previous recommendations on the basic series and boosters of COVID-19 vaccines are still valid.
More information on autumn vaccines to come
Based on current data, it is likely that future variant-tailored vaccines would be used in the autumn vaccinations rather than the BA.1 and BA.4-5 vaccines currently in stock. The effectiveness of the current BA.1 and BA.4-5 vaccines against the currently circulating variants and against hospitalisation and deaths in the most fragile groups seems to be limited. THL has published a register-based study of the observation that is under peer-review.
“All coronavirus vaccines currently in use in Finland protect against a severe form of the disease,” reminds Hanna Nohynek.
THL will later provide information on which vaccines will be used in the autumn booster doses and when new vaccine batches will be received in Finland.
THL is monitoring new research data and the progression of the epidemic both in Finland and elsewhere and will alter its recommendations on medical grounds, if necessary.
Further information
Hanna Nohynek
Chief Physician, THL
[email protected]
Eero Poukka
Medical Specialist, THL
[email protected]
