Coronavirus More than a million Finns were declared at risk of serious coronary heart disease – Now almost all risk factors have lost their relevance

Corona epidemic At the beginning, more than a million Finns were classified as at risk for serious coronary heart disease.

The risk of serious illness was considered to be in those over 70 years of age, as well as in those with asthma or severe sleep apnea, such as those requiring continuous medication. The government instructed the elderly to remain in quarantine-like conditions.

As vaccinations have progressed, the risk of serious coronary heart disease has also decreased significantly, even in those at risk.

“Domestic statistics have shown that vaccinations protect these groups really well. The incidence of both hospitalization and intensive care and deaths is low in triplicate patients, ”says the chief physician. Tuija Leino From the Department of Health and Welfare (THL).

Leino believes that at-risk groups should now be viewed in a new way. Now the risk of a serious illness requiring hospitalization or intensive care is high, especially for those who are not vaccinated.

“Failure to take the vaccine is currently the main risk factor. After that comes age. Other risk factors have lost their relevance because we have been able to reduce the risks with vaccinations, ”says Leino.

The most important thing Vaccination is for the elderly and multiple sufferers. According to statistics, the elderly have been vaccinated more frequently than the younger age groups.

“Age is a completely independent risk factor. A healthy unvaccinated 70-year-old is clearly at higher risk of serious coronary heart disease than a healthy 40-year-old. ”

According to THL’s statistics, there are 480,000 people in Finland over the age of 12 who have not taken a single dose of vaccine or have previously been confirmed to have a coronavirus infection. Of this group, 140,000 are over 50 years of age and 43,000 are over 70 years of age.

On the other hand, through the registries, THL does not receive very accurate information on how many people at risk of serious illness have not been vaccinated due to their illness.

“It is often said that there are also people who cannot get vaccinated because of their illness. There are already so many vaccine products in use that I can no longer name groups that could not take the vaccine, ”says Leino.

When as coronary restrictions are lifted and society is opened up, there will also be more opportunities for the coronavirus to spread. It is estimated that infection rates will increase as people-to-people contacts increase.

How should an emerging society be viewed now if it belongs to one of the risk groups for a serious disease listed in the earlier stages of the epidemic?

“I wouldn’t say at this point that a large proportion of the elderly, for example, should be particularly scared. The vaccine works well for them too, ”says Leino.

“Whether those who are most feared have the highest risk of developing a serious illness may not go all together,” says Leino.

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Even vaccinations of the population, Leino highlights people who are good at avoiding crowds whenever possible when society is opened up.

“People with treatments or diseases that damage the immune system may have the highest risk of serious illness. They are offered a fourth dose of the vaccine, ”says Leino.

Conditions that impair the immune system include, for example, cancer treatments in the acute phase. People with immunodeficiency are typically instructed to avoid other viral infections during the acute phase of the disease.

“If you have such illnesses that predispose you to a serious illness, you shouldn’t go out into the crowds first, but wait a few weeks if possible. The severe infection phase cannot last for an awful long time, but it starts to settle towards the summer, ”Leino estimates.