Vaccinations and risk groups
Vaccinations for tick-borne encephalitis, hepatitis A and B, meningococcal disease, and pneumococcal disease are free of charge for risk groups defined by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
If you do not belong to a risk group, you can still receive these vaccinations at your own expense.
- Please note: Risk groups are also offered other vaccinations, such as COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. If you are looking for information about vaccinations not intended for the risk groups listed here, please visit the Vaccinations page.
- Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral infection transmitted by ticks.
- The vaccine is available free of charge to people who live permanently or for extended periods in areas classified as risk areas.
- See the current list of risk areas on the THL website (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)
- Please note: Those eligible for the free vaccine must receive it from the wellbeing services county where the risk area is located. For example, if your cottage is in the Turku archipelago, contact the health care services in that municipality.
- For residents of risk areas, the basic three-dose vaccination series and any necessary booster doses to complete an incomplete series are provided free of charge.
Please note: Booster vaccinations are not part of the national vaccination programme.
The vaccine is also recommended more broadly to others at risk, but in these cases it must be paid for by the client.
- Hepatitis A is a liver inflammation caused by a virus.
- The vaccine is provided free of charge to high-risk groups, including:
- individuals with bleeding disorders who receive regular treatment
- people who inject drugs and their close contacts
- men who have sex with men
Read more about hepatitis vaccinations on the THL website(Link leads to external service)
- Hepatitis B is a liver inflammation caused by a virus.
- The hepatitis B vaccine is also available free of charge to high-risk groups, such as:
- individuals with bleeding disorders who receive regular treatment
- people who inject drugs and their close contacts
- men who have sex with men
Read more about hepatitis vaccinations on the THL website (Link leads to external service)
- Meningococcal disease can cause meningitis or life-threatening sepsis.
- Vaccination is recommended for certain high-risk groups:
- The meningococcal ACWY vaccine is given to those starting military service or voluntary military service.
- Meningococcal ACWY and B vaccines are given to individuals with:
- asplenia or spleen dysfunction (e.g. sickle cell anaemia)
- complement deficiency or those taking complement-inhibiting medication
- chronic graft-versus-host disease following a stem cell transplant
- The vaccine is also offered to the close contacts of individuals who have contracted meningococcal disease.
Read more about the meningococcal vaccine on the THL website(Link leads to external service)
- Pneumococcal disease is a significant cause of meningitis and sepsis.
- The vaccine is included in the national vaccination programme:
- for all children under 5 years of age
- for certain adult risk groups, including:
- individuals who have received a stem cell transplant
- individuals under 75 years of age with severe kidney disease
- individuals under 75 years of age who are severely immunocompromised
- individuals aged 65–84 with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- THL also recommends the vaccine, at one’s own expense, for others at high risk of severe pneumococcal infection.
Read more about pneumococcal vaccines on the THL website(Link leads to external service)
How to book a vaccination appointment
You can book a vaccination appointment either by phone or through Maisa.
Please note that a penalty fee is charged to people over 18 for missed appointments and appointments that have not been cancelled in time. Read more about how to cancel your appointment
Please note that available vaccination times in Maisa are limited.
- Visit www.maisa.fi(Link leads to external service) or open the Maisa app.
- Log in using strong identification (online banking credentials, mobile certificate, or certificate card). Individuals over the age of 10 can use Maisa with their own credentials.
- Open the Menu, then select Appointment Booking > Book an Appointment > Health Station Appointment Booking. Please note: You can only book appointments at your own health station.
- Select Vaccination (not COVID-19).
- Choose a suitable time from the available options.
- Press the Confirm appointment button.
- You can view the details of your upcoming appointments on the Events page in Maisa.
People aged over 10 can use Maisa with their own credentials.
Please note: In Maisa, you can act on behalf of your child. You can also act on behalf of an adult relative if they have authorised you to do so. Read more about acting on behalf of a child or loved one at health stations
Call your health station’s phone service. Each health station has its own phone number, which you can find on its individual page. Find your health station here
Phone service opening hours:
Monday to Thursday, 8.00–16.00
Fridays and the day before public holidays, 8.00–15.00
If the lines are busy, you can leave a callback request. We aim to call you back the same day between 8.00–16.00. If we are unable to reach you on the first try, we will call again. Callbacks may also take place on weekends between 8.00 and 16.00.
Please note: You can act on behalf of your child over the phone. You can also act on behalf of an adult relative if a written authorisation for proxy handling has been made. Read more about acting on behalf of a child or relative at health stations
