COVID-19 vaccines

The vaccines should reduce symptoms and prevent serious illness and death from the COVID-19 disease. At best, they can prevent infection and transmission. With vaccinating, we can help people stay healthy, avoid straining the healthcare system capacity and keep society as open as possible.

Finland's COVID-19 vaccination strategy 

The COVID-19 vaccination strategy was updated on 22 June 2022. The updated strategy entered into force on 1 July 2022.

Vaccines need EU marketing authorisation

Only vaccines that meet strict standards for vaccine quality, safety and efficacy can be granted a marketing authorisation. The European Commission grants marketing authorisations in the EU based on a scientific evaluation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Finland has procured all its COVID-19 vaccines through the EU joint procurement. The joint procurement means that the European Commission will negotiate an aggreement with the medical comanies and procures vaccines for all Member States. 

The agreements have been concluded between the Commission and the relevant companies, and they are secret. The Commission and the companies are responsible for providing information about the agreements. All 27 Member States have taken part in the joint procurement.

In the EU there are eight COVID-19 vaccines which have been granted a marketing authorisation:

  • COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty developed by Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty)
  • COVID‑19 vaccine developed by Moderna (Spikevax)
  • COVID-19 vaccine Vaxzevria developed by AstraZeneca (Vaxzavria)
  • COVID-19 vaccine developed by Janssen-Cilag (Johnson&Johnson) (Covid-19 Vaccine Jansen)
  • COVID-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid developed by Novavax
  • COVID-19 Vaccine developed by Valneva
  • COVID-19 Vaccine developed by Sanofi Pasteur (VidPrevtyn Beta)
  • COVID-19 Vaccine developed by HIPRA Human Health (Bimervax)

In Finland there are currently available two different COVID-19 vaccines:

  • Biontech-Pfizer 
  • Novavax 

Adverse reactions to vaccines

In Finland, the Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea) monitors and collects information on adverse reactions to all medicines and vaccines in collaboration with the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The purpose of adverse reaction reporting is to detect previously unknown, unexpected and serious adverse drug reactions that are not mentioned in medicine package leaflets. Healthcare professionals and consumers can report any suspected or observed adverse reactions to Fimea. Reports on adverse reactions do not mean that there is a confirmed connection between the vaccine and the observed adverse reaction, and the reports cannot be used to examine how common the adverse reactions are. 

COVID-19 vaccines and international cooperation

Finland and EU are strongly committed to solidarity in promoting global access to COVID-19 vaccines. Finland has donated over five million vaccine doses through the global COVAX Facility.