Nearly 80.6 per cent of people aged 12 or over have been vaccinated twice — burden on specialised healthcare and case numbers are increasing

NordenBladet — On 17 November, 86.2 per cent of the target population for COVID-19 vaccination in Finland, i.e. people who are 12 years of age or over, had received at least their first vaccine dose and 80.6 per cent also their second vaccine dose.Between 11 and 17 November, the uptake of the first vaccine dose grew by 0.2 percentage points and the uptake of the second dose by 0.6 percentage points. Altogether 154,629 people had received their third vaccine dose.Between 8 and 14 November, a total of 137 new COVID-19 patients were admitted to specialised healthcare, while in the preceding five-week period, the number varied between 110 and 135. Last week, 31 new COVID-19 patients were admitted to intensive care, while in the preceding week, the figure was 20. At the end of last week, the total number of patients in specialised healthcare was 147, of whom 110 were in inpatient care and 37 in intensive care. Between August and October, unvaccinated people were 19 times more likely to be admitted to specialised healthcare and 33 times more likely to be admitted to intensive care than vaccinated people. On 17 November 2021, the total number of COVID-19-related deaths reported to the communicable diseases register was 1,236.The incidence of new COVID-19 cases between 1 and 14 November was 199 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the preceding two-week period (18–31 October), the figure was 142 per 100,000 inhabitants. Last week, about 5,900 new cases were reported in Finland, while in the preceding week, there were approximately 5,200 new cases.About 95,200 COVID-19 tests were taken last week. The proportion of positive cases of all these samples was 6.2 per cent. In mid-October, the weekly number of tests carried out was around 77,600, after which the number of tests has grown steadily. The proportion of positive cases of all samples taken in mid-October was 4.8 per cent, and even this figure has grown steadily since then. The following 12 areas meet the epidemiological characteristics for areas in the community transmission phase: the Hospital Districts of South Ostrobothnia, Helsinki and Uusimaa, Kanta-Häme, Central Ostrobothnia, Kymenlaakso, Länsi-Pohja, Pirkanmaa, North Ostrobothnia, Päijät-Häme, Satakunta, Vaasa and Southwest Finland.The epidemiological situation is monitored weekly. The situational picture is updated weekly on the website of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare under ‘Situation update on coronavirus’. An extensive monitoring report is published on the Institute’s webpage ‘Monitoring reports on the hybrid strategy’ every other week on Thursday afternoons. 

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi