Instructions for covid-19 vaccination

The amendment to the covid vaccination regulation prepared by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on lowering the age limit for vaccinations is in the opinion round. Vaccinations for children aged 6 months to 4 years will start in January 2023 at the earliest.

Instructions for vaccine recipients

• we check your identity at the vaccination facility
• please arrive no more than 10 minutes before your appointment
• stay for monitoring for 15 minutes after being vaccinated
• one person can escort you if needed
• there are vaccines available only for persons who have an appointment
• only come if you’re healthy. You can cancel your appointment by calling.
• we highly recommend that you use a face mask at the vaccination facility
• practise good hand hygiene and keep a safe distance to others
• the vaccination is free for everyone.

Vaccines used

• The vaccines given in Porvoo are mainly Biontech Pfizer Comirnaty. Children aged 5–11 are given a smaller dose.
• Booster vaccines (doses 4 and 5) are tailored for virus variants BA.1, BA.4 or BA.5.
• If you are over 65 years of age, you can choose the Janssen adenovirusvector vaccine for your first dose. The Janssen vaccine can also be given to persons aged 18–64 who for medical reasons can’t have an mRNA-vaccine.
• The Novavax vaccine can be given to persons who cannot be given an mRNA- or adenovirus vaccine. Nuvaxovid does not include living viruses that cause COVID-19. The vaccine is protein based and an option for those who do not want an mRNA- or adenovirus vector vaccine but are willing to be vaccinated.
• Please book an appointment for Novavax or Janssen vaccines by telephone.

Covid-19 vaccination intervals

1st and 2nd doses, everyone aged five or older:

• 2nd dose after six weeks from the 1st dose
• If you have received one dose of the vaccine, you can receive a second dose when at least 6 weeks have passed since the first dose.
• If you have received one vaccine dose and subsequently contracted the corona virus, you can receive a second dose no earlier than 6 weeks after contracting the disease. A vaccine given too soon after the disease can cause stronger vaccine reactions.

3rd dose:

• individuals aged 60 or older: 3rd dose 3–4 months after the 2nd dose
• 18–59-year-old individuals: 3rd dose 3–4 months after the 2nd dose
• Those over 60 and those in risk groups between the ages of 18 and 59 receive three vaccinations, regardless of whether they have had the corona virus. You can get the third dose when at least 3 months have passed since the second vaccination or infected corona.
• Basicly healthy people aged 18–59 receive a third dose if they have received two doses of the vaccine but have not contracted the corona virus. In this age group, one sick ko-rona is equivalent to one vaccine dose. The third dose is given when 4–6 months have passed since the second vaccination.
• Severely immunocompromised over 12-year-olds: 3rd dose 2 months after 2nd dose
• 12-17-year-olds belonging to a risk group: 3rd dose 6 months after 2nd dose

4th dose:

• 4th dose 3 months after the 3rd dose. We give fourth doses of covid vaccine to the following groups:
• for everyone over 60 years of age
• For people over 12 years of age who have a severely weakened immune system
• for everyone living in care and service homes, regardless of age

Booster vaccines in winter 2022-23

We give booster vaccines to the following people, regardless of how many vaccines the person has received or how many times they have had the covid-19 disease:

• for everyone over the age of 65
• For people over the age of 18 who belong to risk groups
• For those over 12 years of age with a severely weakened immune system.

Booster vaccines are variant-tailored vaccines.

When do you not need a booster vaccine in during winter 2023?

• if you received a booster dose of variant vaccine in autumn 2022
• if you contracted the corona virus in October-December 2022

However, there is no restriction to giving the vaccine.

Healthy persons who have had the covid-19 disease (under 65 years old)

• For those who have had the disease, the first dose of the covid vaccine is recommended 4-6 months after the disease.
• A severely immunocompromised person can be given the vaccine already 1-3 months after contracting the disease.
• A person under the age of 18 who falls ill with the covid-19 disease after receiving one dose of the vaccine does not need a second dose of the vaccine. However, a second dose can be given for a particularly pressing reason, if there has been more than 6 weeks between the first dose and the affected disease.
• If you get sick with the coronavirus disease, the disease is equivalent to the protection provided by one dose of the vaccine.

Vaccinations of children and young people

The child’s guardian can book the vaccination appointment on behalf of the child, if he does not have his own bank credentials or mobile certificate.

A minor can decide on vaccination themself if the healthcare professional administering the vaccine assesses that the child or young person is able to decide on vaccination based on their age and level of development. There is no age limit for a child’s right to self-determination in the law, but the matter is assessed on a case-by-case basis. If the minor is not able to decide on their own vaccination or if they do not want to decide on the matter themself, the consent of all guardians is required to give the covid-19 vaccine.

Even if the minor does not decide on their vaccination, they should be provided with information about the vaccination and its meaning. Their opinion should be ascertained, if it is possible considering their age and level of development.

12–17-year-olds

12–17-year old individuals may have a 3rd dose if they belong to a group with heightened risk of the serious form of COVID-19:

• children over 12 with seriously compromised immune system: 3rd dose 2 months after 2nd dose
• 12–17-year-olds in other risk groups: 3rd dose 6 months after 2nd dose.

5–11-year-olds

• All children aged 5 to 11 will be offered the BioNTech-Pfizer’s Comirnaty vaccine, a smaller dose of which is specifically intended for this age group.
• 5–11-year-olds need to have a consent form signed by their guardians to be vaccinated.
• The minimum age is based on the child’s birthday, not their year of birth.

According to THL’s guidelines, the following may increase a child’s risk of serious illness due to a coronavirus infection:

• an organ or stem cell transplant
• strong immunosuppressive treatment or severe immunodeficiency
• chronic lung diseases
• certain heart conditions in children
• chronic kidney disease
• severe chronic liver disease
• a rare metabolic disorder or other rare condition that affects the immune system or has been deemed by a specialist, for some other reason, to increase a risk of serious illness or complications
• being overweight, BMI of at least 30
• paediatric neurology patients suffering from respiratory failure and/or increased susceptibility to infection
• Down syndrome
• type 1 and 2 diabetes
• asthma that requires regular medication.