The regional COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup of South Karelia stated at its meeting on 19 October 2021 that the epidemic is in the acceleration phase in South Karelia. The three stages of an epidemic are the baseline, acceleration, and spreading phases. In the past week, 71 percent of people who have contracted coronavirus were unvaccinated.
Having yourself vaccinated against COVID-19 is the only way to avoid the coronavirus disease. According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), only one percent of the population has a medical reason to not be vaccinated. South Karelia aims at reaching a 90 percent vaccination coverage in order to prevent the fifth COVID-19 wave and to secure the provision of health care services. Having yourself vaccinated is vital for being able to stop wearing a mask and for avoiding the severe form of the coronavirus disease. The mask recommendation is valid in crowded public indoor premises and especially applies to persons who have not received a full series of vaccinations.
THL recommends the third COVID-19 vaccination dose for persons aged 60 or older, persons living in institutional care or a care home, and persons belonging to risk groups 1 or 2. It is recommended that the third vaccination dose be administered to these groups no earlier than six months after they received the second vaccination dose.
In South Karelia, the vaccination coverage is the best in continental Finland – let’s aim even higher!
In South Karelia, 80.3 percent of over 12-year-olds had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by 18 October 2021. Having yourself vaccinated is especially important now that the society is opening up and people can move more actively in places where there are large numbers of people present. The approaching Christmas party season and the activation of sports and culture events get people moving. This increases the risk of the unvaccinated population to contract COVID-19. Approximately 70 percent of people who have developed the coronavirus disease have not even received the first vaccination dose.
COVID-19 spreads among the unvaccinated population
– It can be said that unvaccinated people are very likely to contract COVID-19 either during this or the next year, says the Director of Eksote’s Health Services Tuula Karhula.
– It is great that we have been able to increase the vaccination coverage this high. As the region is located next to the border, we must take the deteriorating COVID-19 situation in Russia into account, which can be reflected in our COVID-19 situation. Twenty percent of the population in South Karelia is still unvaccinated and I hope that everyone who has not yet had themselves vaccinated would do so now.
Aiming at a 90 percent vaccination coverage
A small-scale competition is not a bad thing, either, says nurse Sari Kuitto, who is responsible for vaccinations at Eksote.
– It would be great if South Karelia was the first region in Finland to reach a 90 percent vaccination coverage! However, the main thing is to achieve a good vaccination coverage and, subsequently, ensure the public health of the population in South Karelia. This will ensure that the hospital is able to treat, for example, surgery patients on time and no backlog in healthcare services is generated.
Saipa participates in encouraging people to have themselves vaccinated
– We will play against Ilves on Wednesday 27 October 2021. We have invited Eksote to administer COVID-19 vaccinations before the game to everyone who has not yet received their first vaccination dose, says the CEO of Saipa Jussi Markkanen.
– Everyone who takes their first COVID-19 vaccination dose will also receive a small gift before the game starts. The vaccination point will be opened at 17:30 and will remain open for one hour before the game starts.
A COVID-19 passport will be required to travel and participate in many events where a large number of people will be present
A COVID-19 passport is an alternative to official restrictions. In practice, the COVID-19 passport means the EU Digital COVID Certificate, which can be found on My Kanta pages or acquired as a paper copy from the healthcare services. In South Karelia, the COVID-19 passport is not currently required, because there are no valid restrictions in the region. Companies and other operators, whose operations are subject to restrictions, can require a COVID-19 passport from their customers. The passport proves that its holder has been vaccinated against COVID-19, has had COVID-19 recently, or has a recent negative coronavirus test result. For more information, please visit https://stm.fi/en/the-covid-19-passport
A COVID-19 passport can be acquired 7 weeks from the administration of the first vaccination dose, because the second vaccination dose can be administered, at the earliest, 6 weeks after the first dose. It will take an additional week for the vaccination information to be activated, after which the passport can be printed out as a paper copy or presented in a digital format on a mobile phone, for example. When travelling abroad, many countries require that fourteen days have passed since the administration of the second vaccination dose before entrance.
The valid regional recommendations and instructions can be found on the websites of Eksote and the municipalities:
Eksote: https://www.eksote.fi/Koronavirus/
City of Lappeenranta: https://www.lappeenranta.fi/fi/Kaupunki-tiedottaa/Koronavirustilanne
City of Imatra: https://www.imatra.fi/korona
Lemi: https://www.lemi.fi/ajankohtaista/koronatiedotteet.html
Luumäki: https://www.luumaki.fi/koronavirustilanne-tietoa-ohjeita-linkkeja
Parikkala: http://www.parikkala.fi/fi
Ruokolahti: https://www.ruokolahti.fi/suomeksi/Kuntatietoa/korona
Rautjärvi: http://www.rautjarvi.fi/fi
Savitaipale: https://www.savitaipale.fi/
Taipalsaari: https://taipalsaari.fi/fi/Koronavirustilanne
The situation in the rest of Finland and the valid restrictions and recommendations of other hospital districts can be found at: https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/information-on-coronavirus/current-restrictions/hospital-districts. The current stage of the epidemic in South Karelia is specified by the infectious disease authorities, together with the regional COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup. The South Karelian COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup includes representatives of the South Karelia Social and Health Care District, the municipalities, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Regional State Administrative Agency, and the local ELY Centre. In addition to the number of and the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, the stage of the epidemic depends e.g. on the traceability of infection chains and whether the virus was acquired within or from outside the region. The epidemic situation can change rapidly locally or regionally, even when the national situation is stable. The local COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup meets once a week, unless more frequent meetings are required.
Additional information for the media:
Tuula Karhula, Chair of the situation assessment workgroup, Director of the Health Services, Eksote, tel. +358 40 194 4936, [email protected]
Sari Kuitto, nurse responsible for the vaccinations, Eksote, tel. +358 44 791 5854, [email protected]
© Koodiviidakko Oy - Y-tunnus 1939962-1