More than 30,000 residents of Turku have already registered for vaccination

The City of Turku asks all residents to behave responsibly in their free time. Even though the restrictions have been eased, it is important to keep following the COVID-19 precautions in order to keep the epidemic situation on the right track. It is also good to remember these restrictions when meeting informally, for example on the Turku riverbank.

“The epidemic situation in Kokkola is a good example of how fast the epidemic can move from the baseline to the community transmission phase. Precautions are needed and everyone, young and old alike, should follow them until the entire Finnish population has been vaccinated. Only with good vaccination coverage can we have an impact on the coronavirus pandemic,” Chief Physician for Infectious Diseases Jutta Peltoniemi points out.

Vaccination appointments are already offered to residents aged 40–49

70,635 residents of Turku have received their first coronavirus vaccine (41.9% of over 16-year-old residents, 17 May 2021). The vaccination coverage is 90.9% for people over 80, 92.8% for people aged 70–79 and 84.1% for people aged 60–69. Vaccines are still available for people over the age of 50, and the vaccination coverage is currently 79.1% for people aged 55–59 and 43.1% for people aged 50–55.

Just over 30,000 residents of Turku have submitted their contact details at the myvaccine.turku.fi page. Vaccination appointments are now sent to those 40–49-year-olds who have submitted their contact details.

“We ask everyone who wishes to receive the vaccine to leave their contact details in the registration page. We are now only sending out vaccination appointments via the registration page, and general vaccination appointments will no longer be sent out,” Chief Physician Suvi Vainiomäki points out.

The Leila robot will send vaccination appointments to those who have left their contact details in random order by each age group at a time during May–August. The order of registration is not the vaccination order, but vaccination appointments are offered starting from the oldest age group towards the youngest.  You can easily remove your registration from the system in case you receive the vaccine through your occupational health service.

The website is available in three languages at:

• otanrokotteen.turku.fi
• jagtarvaccinet.turku.fi
• myvaccine.turku.fi 

Vaccine wastage is low in Turku. The people of Turku are conscientious about getting their vaccinations, and the vaccination coverage is good in all age groups. Health care personnel can minimise vaccine wastage by preparing vaccines throughout the day instead of preparing the entire day's batch of vaccines in the morning. There is also a standby list from which, for example, substitutes and summer workers belonging to a critical group of social and health workers can be invited for vaccinations at short notice.

Quarantine practices to change for people who have been vaccinated or have contracted COVID-19

On 18 May, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare has amended its guidelines on quarantine practices for those who have been vaccinated or have contracted COVID-19. In the future, a person exposed to the coronavirus will not be quarantined in the following cases:

• The person has received both doses and at least one week has passed since the second dose
• The person has received the first dose within 6 months of being diagnosed with the coronavirus infection and at least one week has passed since the vaccination
• The person has a doctor’s certificate for a coronavirus infection diagnosed less than 6 months ago.

Your infectious disease doctor may decide otherwise in the assessment, and factors that may affect the effectiveness of the vaccine must be taken into account. The factors include the local mutant strain situation, age and underlying health conditions. The amended quarantine guidelines also apply to social and health care professionals.

Infections and exposures in City of Turku facilities 

Schools and educational institutions: Uittamo unit of Vähä-Heikkilän koulu.

Other facilities: Niittykoti 4 coronavirus infections.