Helsinki will start administering third COVID-19 vaccine doses to people with severe immune deficiency on Saturday, 18 September. The vaccine is available from vaccination points and pop-up vaccination points without an appointment. It is not possible to book an appointment for a third vaccination.
A third COVID-19 vaccine dose can now be administered to people aged 12 years and older who have a severely reduced immune response to an illness or treatment.
A third dose can be administered to severely immunocompromised individuals when at least 2 months have passed since their second vaccine dose.
According to the THL guidelines, this group includes the following diseases and conditions:
- organ transplant
- stem cell transplant
- severe to moderate congenital immunodeficiency
- immunosuppressive cancer treatment
- treatment of autoimmune diseases with immunosuppressive biologics or JAK inhibitors
- dialysis and severe chronic renal failure
- advanced or untreated HIV
- other severe immunosuppressive conditions as assessed by a physician.
The client must prove their severe immunodeficiency at the vaccination point. This can be done by a copy of their medical history or by information extracted from the My Kanta service.
The groups being vaccinated now are not the same as the high-risk groups 1 and 2 defined in spring. The website coronavaccination-en.hel.fi will contain more detailed information on the groups being vaccinated at this stage.
In principle, the third dose should be with the same vaccine product as the second dose. However, another product may also be used for the third dose, if necessary. mRNA vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer are available.
COVID-19 vaccinations are free of charge.
Helsinki’s centralised vaccination points, pop-up vaccination points and their opening hours can be found on hel.fi/vaccination.
More information
- COVID-19 vaccinations for Helsinki residents – coronavaccination-en.hel.fi
- Vaccination points and pop-up vaccination points
Image: Virpi Velin