Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare:
 Two-dose COVID-19 vaccination rate reaches 80 per cent for people aged 12 or over — figures show a clear rise in COVID-19 cases

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Publication date 11.11.2021 10.00 | Published in English on 11.11.2021 at 13.02
Press release 327

On 10 November, 86 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 one vaccine dose and 80 per cent two vaccine doses. However, reaching this milestone is not enough to reverse the trend of rising COVID-19 infection rates and the growing need for hospital care.

Between 4 and 10 November, the uptake of the first vaccine dose grew by 0.3 percentage points and the uptake of the second dose by 0.9 percentage points. On 10 November, a total of 121,799 people had received their third vaccine dose. It remains very important that everyone gets vaccinated, if they have not done so yet. Vaccination provides very good protection against more severe forms of COVID-19 and it also helps to protect family and friends.

The incidence of new COVID-19 cases over the last two two-week period (25 October–7 November) was 167 per 100,000 inhabitants. This is around 26 per cent more than in the preceding two-week period (11–24 October) when the incidence of cases was 133 per 100,000 inhabitants. Between 1 and 7 November, about 5,100 new cases were reported in Finland, while in the preceding three weeks, the average weekly number was 3,700–4,200.

A total of 119 new COVID-19 inpatients were admitted to specialised healthcare between 1 and 7 November. Over the past five weeks, the weekly numbers of new COVID-19 inpatients in specialised healthcare have varied between 110 and 135. Last week, 20 new COVID-19 patients were admitted to intensive care. Over the past five weeks, the weekly numbers of COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care have varied between 13 and 28. 

At the end of last week, the total number of patients in specialised healthcare was 140, of whom 107 were in inpatient care and 33 in intensive care. The number of COVID-19 patients in specialised healthcare was higher compared to the end of the preceding week when the total number of patients was 115 (91 in inpatient care and 24 in intensive care). The burden on hospital care has remained more or less at the same level for the last month. On 10 November 2021, the total number of COVID-19-related deaths reported to the communicable diseases register was 1,212.

The risk of being admitted to specialised healthcare is significantly higher for unvaccinated people than for those who have been vaccinated twice. Between August and October 2021, unvaccinated people with COVID-19 were admitted to specialised healthcare 19 times more often than those who had been vaccinated twice.

Over 83,000 COVID-19 tests were taken in Finland last week. The figure is slightly higher than in the previous two weeks when about 76,500–79,500 tests were carried out weekly. Last week, the proportion of positive cases of all samples was 6.2 per cent. The proportion increased compared to the preceding week when it was 5.2 per cent. For the weeks ending on 17 and 24 October, the figures were around 4.5–4.8 per cent. 

The epidemiological situation is monitored weekly. The situational picture is updated weekly on the website of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. An extensive monitoring report is published on the Institute’s webpage ‘Monitoring reports on the hybrid strategy’ every other week on Thursday afternoons. 

Inquiries:

Mia Kontio, Chief Specialist, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, [email protected]
Liisa-Maria Voipio-Pulkki, Chief Specialist, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, [email protected]
Pasi Pohjola, Director of Strategic Affairs, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, [email protected]
Mika Salminen, Director, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, [email protected]
Otto Helve, Chief Physician, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, [email protected]