Vaccination plan and risk groups

Vaccination will be postponed if the patient is severely ill with COVID-19.

Having had COVID-19 or seropositivity (i.e if there already is a determinable amount of antibodies in the blood) is not a contraindication to vaccination:

People who have had COVID-19 should be vaccinated with only one dose of the vaccine, preferably in the sixth month after recovery. After that the course of vaccination should be considered completed. Even if more than 6 months have passed since recovery, only one dose of the vaccine should be administered in order to ensure long-term protection.

People who get COVID-19 after receiving the first dose of the vaccine will not be administered the second dose and are considered vaccinated for the following six months.

Last updated: 11.08.2021 12:29

Did this response answer your question?

It is allowed to vaccinate:

• All children over the age of 5, adolescents and adults, if there is no clear contraindication (see below). It is allowed to vaccinate children who are 5 and older with the mRNA vaccines.
• It is necessary to vaccinate the elderly, people who have chronic or oncological diseases, and people who have immunodeficiency, as they have a very high risk of severe progression of the COVID-19 infection.
• Both pregnant and breastfeeding women. Data gathered thus far does not show vaccination having any adverse effect on getting pregnant, the progression of the pregnancy or a breastfeeding child. If a pregnant woman gets infected with COVID-19, both the risk of premature labour and the probability that the woman will need intensive care go up. Vaccination reduces these risks significantly.
• People who have recovered from COVID-19 or have antibodies. A person who has recovered from COVID-19 is vaccinated with one dose a week to six months after recovery and is then considered vaccinated for the next six months. People who have been infected with COVID-19 after receiving the first dose of the vaccine, are not administered a second dose and are considered vaccinated for the next six months.
• Close contacts may be vaccinated against COVID-19 after their quarantine ends.

Who has to stay under observation after vaccination in order to get help if necessary, and why?

• All vaccines have a risk of allergic reaction/anaphylactic shock (after vaccination it is necessary to stay at the medical centre for about 15 minutes)
• There is a risk of anxiety-related reactions, fainting with all the vaccines -- the vaccine is always administered to a sitting person in order to avoid injuries due to falling
• Similarly to other injected medicines, it is possible that people who are using blood thinners or have a coagulation disorder (e.g. haemophilia) may experience bleeding of the injection site or a hematoma there.

It is allowed to vaccinate with a decision of a doctor after the benefits and risks have been weighed:

• People suffering from severe frailty syndrome (at level 8/9 of the morbidity scale) or people nearing the end of their lives may have adverse reactions to generally mild side effects (e.g. fever, nausea and vomiting). If a person's life expectancy is shorter than the period of vaccine protection, it is not feasible to vaccinate that person.

Vaccination has to be postponed:

• In case of an acute disease with a high fever.

It is not allowed to vaccinate:

• People who have experienced anaphylaxis or hypersensitivity after receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. It is not allowed to continue vaccinating with the same vaccine.

• Adenovirus vector vaccines (Janssen's COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria) are not allowed to be used for vaccinating people who have previously had capillary leak syndrome or who have developed Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome after the first dose of the vaccine.

If you need further counselling on the COVID-19 vaccinations, we recommend consulting with your family doctor or calling the Family Doctors' Advice Line 1220 or 634 66 30. The calls are answered by medical professionals 24/7. Advice is given in Estonian and Russian (in English every day between 15.00 and 17.00). You can find information about vaccination opportunities and the vaccines in use in Estonia from vaktsineeri.ee/en

Last updated: 15.12.2021 12:58

Did this response answer your question?

Oncological diseases are not contraindicated for vaccination. Vaccination is particularly indicated for oncological patients as they have a very high risk of severe progression of the COVID-19 disease. All vaccines in use in Estonia are suitable for vaccinating oncological patients.

A person who has only a benign tumour does not belong in the risk group, for that there would need to be additional indicators like, for instance, age. The final decision is, of course, left to the family doctor who can take into account the person's current state of health, as it can change.

Last updated: 17.03.2021 17:08

Did this response answer your question?

The list of people in the risk group also includes those people who are currently not covered by health insurance. The goal is to vaccinate all persons who live in the country and from the vaccination perspective the health insurance makes no difference. The list of people in the risk group includes patients with certain diseases.

Last updated: 16.03.2021 16:39

Did this response answer your question?