Vaccines
This page provides information about the available influenza vaccines and the late autumn 2023 booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
The available influenza vaccines
- Injectable VaxigripTetra vaccine for all age groups (Link leads to THL’s website)
- FluenzTetra nasal spray vaccine for ages 2–6 (Link leads to THL’s website)
The influenza vaccine offers protection against influenza and its associated complications, which may include ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, as well as serious conditions like heart attacks and strokes.
Benefits of the influenza vaccine include:
- Lowering the risk of fatalities, hospitalisation, and the need for institutional care caused by influenza.
- Reducing the occurrence of severe influenza cases.
- Mitigating complications like ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, heart attacks, and strokes that can arise from influenza.
- Decreasing the overall incidence of influenza infections, as individuals who remain unaffected are less likely to transmit the virus to others.
You can learn more about the influenza vaccine on THL’s website
The late autumn 2023 booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine
The late autumn 2023 booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine is a new Comirnaty XBB.1.5 30 micrograms/dose variant vaccine.
The purpose of this new booster dose is to bolster defence against severe illness, hospitalisation and fatalities associated with the virus. This booster dose is especially recommended for individuals at the highest risk of severe coronavirus complications, as the autumn and winter seasons may witness a potential surge in coronavirus cases.
It is important to note that the XBB.1.5 vaccines are not anticipated to offer substantial protection against mild coronavirus infections.
Read more about the XBB.1.5 30 micrograms/dose vaccine on THL’s website (In Finnish)
*The Novavax Nuvaxovid vaccine (link leads to THL’s website) can be administered as a booster dose for individuals aged 18 and above who either have a medical contraindication to other vaccines or have made a personal choice not to receive them. For those aged 12–17, Nuvaxovid can be considered as a booster if they fall into a high-risk category and have a medical contraindication to receiving the XBB.1.5 vaccine. It is important to note that in Finland, Nuvaxovid is not recommended for males and boys under 30 years of age. However, exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis if an individual in this group has a medical contraindication to receiving the XBB.1.5 vaccine.
*Pages available only in Finnish and Swedish.
N.B! The Nuvaxovid vaccine is currently not available.