There is a frantic influenza epidemic in Finland – the map glows red

In Finland Now the extensive influenza epidemic. Infections are still growing sharply and it is not yet known when growth will be folded.

The National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) monitors health center visits made due to influenza.

Last week, there were 2,296 visits, exceeding the top weeks of the previous three epidemic waves.

Almost all people with influenza are not contacted by health centers, but are suffering from at home. Nor do the figures involved, for example, in occupational health.

Cases where the symptoms correspond to influenza but not ensured by the test. However, the figures can be used to evaluate the progression and intensity of the influenza epidemic every week and duration.

According to influenza visits to health centers, influenza activity occurs throughout the country. In most countries, activity is rich or very abundant.

THL expert Niina Ikonen It is desirable to avoid contacts as symptoms.

“When there are symptoms, we would rest. Only when the symptoms have clearly decreased would go to work, school, kindergarten and hobbies, ”he says.

Epidemics There are two types of influenza, A and B. Currently, as a mainstream type, influenza A, which causes an average of a more severe disease than type B.

In Europe, there have been preliminary protective efficiency estimates that the influenza vaccine for this season has not protected as well as the goal. The vaccine was effective from about 35 % to just over 50 % of those who received it.

THL's Chief Medical Officer Hanna Nohynek comment on the matter To Turun Sanomat. The aim is to always update the vaccine to match the circulating viral types.

« This suggests that the equivalence of circulating viruses and vaccine viruses did not go down, » he told the magazine.

According to Niina Ikonen, the lower protective power of the vaccine may have contributed to the extent of the epidemic.

Although the influenza wave is already underway and possibly the wave brush is soon at hand, Ikonen says the vaccine is still worth taking.

According to preliminary estimates in Europe, the protective power of the vaccine has decreased right now against the staggering A-type influenza viruses, but against type B would be relatively good.

“If vaccinated, usually the disease is less severe. It is possible that the infections of the B virus type will increase in the spring, so the vaccine would be good in the sense, ”Ikonen says.

It takes one to two weeks to form the protection efficiency of the vaccine.

Major Some suffer from influenza at home and do not seek health care. For those who seek health care, only a small laboratory test is taken.

The weekly infectious infectious infectious infectious infections in the laboratory do not yet reach the peak weeks of recent years.

For example, in winter 2022-2023, cases of infection increased but also fell rapidly. However, this winter, the epidemic has started slowly.

“When the epidemic is over, it may be that we have higher total infections,” Ikonen says.

It is not yet possible to say when the flu wave will subside.