Why should I get vaccinated?
Back to normal life
Vaccination against COVID-19 is probably the only sustainable solution to stopping the spread of COVID-19 and returning to normality. Everyone’s contribution is important to stop the COVID-19 pandemic.
By vaccinating ourselves, we also protect those who cannot protect themselves. There are people among us who cannot be vaccinated because of their health. Vaccination is caring.
There is more freedom for vaccinated people and their lives are easier: if you are fully vaccinated, you get a COVID certificate, which makes it easier to go to the cinema, theatre, restaurants and anywhere else where you have to prove that you’re not contagious.
Vaccination significantly reduces the probability of serious illness
All the COVID-19 vaccines available in Estonia reduce the probability of serious illness and hospitalisation.
Even if vaccination has side effects, they are mild in most cases and pass within a few days. The course of the COVID-19 disease is unpredictable and can cause long-term damage to the health and quality of life of both young and older people.
Vaccination prevents transmission of the virus
You curb the transmission of the virus when you vaccinate yourself. Vaccinated people are considerably less likely to contract the coronavirus than unvaccinated people. In addition to reducing the severity and duration of the disease, vaccination also helps prevent the virus from spreading.
Which vaccines are available in Estonia?
Who is it administered to?
People aged 18 and over. The Estonian Immunoprophylaxis Expert Committee does not currently recommend using Nuvaxovid on pregnant women, as there have not been studies conducted.
How effective is it?
According to the clinical studies, the effectiveness of Nuvaxovid is about 90%.
How many doses are required?
Two doses with an interval of three weeks. Maximum protection is achieved seven days after the second dose.
How does it work?
The Nuvaxovid vaccine prepares the organism to protect itself against COVID-19. The vaccine contains a laboratory manufactured version of the spike protein and an adjuvant that helps to strengthen the immune response of the vaccine. The vaccine does not contain the virus itself.
- A person’s immune system recognizes the manufactured spike protein as something foreign to the body and starts to produce antibodies and specific memory T-cells against it, which later destroy the virus if the organism comes in contact with it.
- If a vaccinated person comes in contact with the SARS-CoV-2 virus later, the immune system recognizes the spike protein on the surface of the virus and is ready to attack the virus swiftly. Antibodies and T-cells help to keep the virus from entering the cells of the body and destroy the infected cells.
What are the risks associated?
The most common side effects with Nuvaxovid in the trials were usually mild or moderate and got better within a few days after vaccination. These included headache, nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting, muscle and joint pain, tenderness and pain at the injection site, tiredness and feeling unwell. These affected more than 1 in 10 people.
Redness and swelling at the injection site, fever, chills, and pain in the limbs occurred in less than 1 in 10 people.
Enlarged lymph nodes, high blood pressure, rash, reddening of the skin, itching at the injection site and itchy rash were uncommon side effects (affecting less than 1 in 100 people).
Who is it administered to?
People aged 50 and over.
How effective is it?
Clinical trials indicate that the average efficacy of the Vaxzevria vaccine in the prevention of symptomatic disease is 60%.
How many doses are required?
Two doses, preferably 12 weeks apart. Maximum protection is achieved 15 days after the second dose.
How long will it protect me?
Experts believe that immunity lasts for at least six months, but more data is coming in and it’s likely that actual immunity will last longer.
How does it work?
The Vaxzevria vaccine prepares the body to defend itself against COVID-19. The vaccine contains another virus (of the adenovirus family) that has been modified to contain the gene needed to make the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The spike protein is located on the outside of a coronavirus and is how SARS-CoV-2 enters human cells.
- When a person gets the vaccine, it carries the SARS-CoV-2 gene into the body’s cells. The cells create the spike protein on the basis of the information on the gene.
- The human immune system recognises the manufactured spike protein as foreign to the body and starts producing antibodies and specific T-cells against it, which later destroy the virus when the body comes in contact with it.
- The adenovirus in the vaccine does not replicate and does not cause disease.
What are the risks associated?
The most common side effects with Vaxzevria in the trials were usually mild or moderate and got better within a few days after vaccination.
The most common side effects are tenderness, pain and bruising at the injection site, headache, tiredness, muscle pain, general feeling of being unwell, chills, fever, joint pain and nausea (feeling sick). They may affect more than 1 in 10 people.
Vomiting and diarrhoea may affect up to 1 in 10 people. Lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes), decreased appetite, dizziness, sleepiness, lethargy (lack of energy), sweating, abdominal (belly) pain, itching, rash and urticaria (itchy rash) may affect up to 1 in 100 people.
Allergic reactions have occurred in people receiving the vaccine, including some cases of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis).
More detailed information at the European Medicines Agency website.
Who is it administered to?
People aged 12 and over.
How effective is it?
Clinical trials indicate that the vaccine has a 95% efficacy rate, even among people in the COVID-19 risk group (people suffering from asthma and diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease and hypertension and people whose body mass index is ≥30).
How many doses are required?
Two doses six weeks apart. Maximum protection is achieved seven days after the second dose.
How long will it protect me?
Experts believe that immunity lasts for at least six months, but more data is coming in and it’s likely that actual immunity will last longer.
How does it work?
The Comirnaty vaccine prepares the body to defend itself against COVID-19. Comirnaty contains an mRNA molecule that acts as a guide for cells to make the spike protein. The spike protein is located on the outside of a coronavirus and is how SARS-CoV-2 enters human cells.
- When a person gets the vaccine, some body cells will produce spike proteins for a while, based on the information in the mRNA.
- The human immune system recognises the manufactured spike protein as foreign to the body and starts producing antibodies and specific T-cells against it, which later destroy the virus when the body comes in contact with it.
- The mRNA in the vaccine degrades in the body in a short time after vaccination.
What are the risks associated?
The most common side effects with Comirnaty were usually mild or moderate and got better within a few days after vaccination. These included pain and swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle and joint pain, chills, fever and diarrhoea. They affected more than 1 in 10 people.
Redness at the injection site, nausea and vomiting occurred in less than 1 in 10 people. Itching at the injection site, pain in the arm where the vaccine was injected, enlarged lymph nodes, difficulty sleeping, feeling unwell, decreased appetite, lack of energy, excessive sweating, night sweats, weakness, and allergic reactions were uncommon side effects affecting less than 1 in 100 people.
Weakness in muscles on one side of face occurred rarely in less than 1 in 1,000 people. A very small number of cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have occurred with Comirnaty. Allergic reactions have also occurred with Comirnaty, including a very small number of cases of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis).
More detailed information at the European Medicines Agency website.
Who is it administered to?
People aged 12 and over. According to the recommendation of the Estonian expert committee on immunoprophylaxis, the vaccine can also be administered to pregnant women (after consulting a doctor).
How effective is it?
Clinical trials indicate that the efficacy of the vaccine is 94.1%.
How many doses are required?
Two doses four weeks apart. Maximum protection is achieved 14 days after the second dose.
How long will it protect me?
Experts believe that immunity lasts for at least six months, but more data is coming in and it’s likely that actual immunity will last longer.
How does it work?
The Spikevax vaccine prepares the body to defend itself against COVID-19. The vaccine contains an mRNA molecule with instructions on how to produce the spike protein of the virus. The spike protein is located on the outside of a coronavirus and is how SARS-CoV-2 enters human cells.
- When a person gets the vaccine, some body cells will produce spike proteins for a while, based on the information in the mRNA.
- The human immune system recognises the manufactured spike protein as foreign to the body and starts producing antibodies and specific T-cells against it, which later destroy the virus when the body comes in contact with it.
- The mRNA in the vaccine degrades in the body in a short time after vaccination.
What are the risks associated?
The most common side effects with Spikevax in the trials were usually mild or moderate and got better within a few days after vaccination.
The most common side effects are pain and swelling at the injection site, tiredness, chills, fever, swollen or tender lymph nodes under the arm, headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting. They may affect more than 1 in 10 people.
Redness, hives and rash at the injection site, and rash may affect less than 1 in 10 people. Itching at the injection site and dizziness may affect less than 1 in 100 people. Swelling of the face, weakness in muscles on one side of the face and hypoaesthesia may affect less than 1 in 1,000 people.
A very small number of cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have occurred with Spikevax. Allergic reactions have also occurred in people receiving the vaccine, including a very small number of cases of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis).
More detailed information at the European Medicines Agency website.
Who is it administered to?
Administered to people aged 18 and over (and it’s also recommended for vaccination of older people with mobility difficulties at home, vaccination of hospitalised risk groups or in other situations where a single-dose vaccine is more reasonable).
How effective is it?
Clinical trials indicate that the efficacy of the vaccine is 67%.
'How many doses are required?
One dose. Maximum protection is achieved 14 days after vaccination.
How long will it protect me?
Experts believe that immunity lasts for at least six months, but more data is coming in and it’s likely that actual immunity will last longer.
How does it work?
The Janssen vaccine prepares the body to defend itself against COVID-19. The vaccine contains another virus (of the adenovirus family) that has been modified to contain the gene needed to make the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The spike protein is located on the outside of a coronavirus and is how SARS-CoV-2 enters human cells.
- When a person gets the vaccine, it carries the SARS-CoV-2 gene into the body’s cells. The cells create the spike protein on the basis of the information on the gene.
- The human immune system recognises the manufactured spike protein as foreign to the body and starts producing antibodies and specific T-cells against it, which later destroy the virus when the body comes in contact with it.
- The adenovirus in the vaccine does not replicate and does not cause disease.
What are the risks associated?
The most common side effects with COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen in the trials were usually mild or moderate and got better within 1 or 2 days after vaccination.
The most common side effects are pain at the injection site, headache, tiredness, muscle pain and nausea. They may affect more than 1 in 10 people.
Coughing, joint pain, fever, chills, as well as redness and swelling at injection site may affect up to 1 in 10 people. Sneezing, tremor, dizziness, paraesthesia , throat pain, rash, sweating, diarrhoea, muscle weakness, pain in the arms and legs, backache, weakness and feeling generally unwell may affect up to 1 in 100 people. Rare side effects (which may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people) are venous thromboembolism, lymphadenopathy , hypoesthesia , tinnitus , vomiting, hypersensitivity and itchy rash.
Thrombosis in combination with thrombocytopenia and Guillain-Barré syndrome may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people. Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction), have occurred in people receiving the vaccine.
More information at the European Medicines Agency website.
Comirnaty Original / Omicron BA.1 is intended for use in people 12 years and above who have received at least primary vaccination against COVID-19. These vaccines are adapted versions of the original vaccines Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech) and Spikevax (Moderna) to target the Omicron BA.1 subvariant in addition to the original strain of SARS-CoV-2.
Spikevax Bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1 is intended for use in people 12 years and above who have received at least primary vaccination against COVID-19. These vaccines are adapted versions of the original vaccines Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech) and Spikevax (Moderna) to target the Omicron BA.1 subvariant in addition to the original strain of SARS-CoV-2.
Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.4-5 is intended for use in people 12 years and above who have received at least primary vaccination against COVID-19. This vaccine is an adapted version of the original vaccine Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech).
What are the side effects of the vaccines?
Common side effects
The most common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are:
- pain and tenderness at the injection site
- headache
- fatigue
- muscle pain
- feeling generally unwell
- chills
- fever
- joint pain and nausea
Side effects may occur after the first or second dose. Most of the side effects are mild or moderate and pass within a few days.
Uncommon side effects
Contact your doctor if you develop any of the following symptoms after vaccination:
- weakness or drowsiness
- abnormal/racing heartbeat
- shortness of breath
- wheezing
- swelling of the lips, face or throat
- hives or rash
- nausea or vomiting
- abdominal pain
An allergic or anaphylactic reaction generally occurs within a short period of time after vaccination. Therefore, you should remain under the supervision of a healthcare professional for at least 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine injection.
Are the vaccines safe?
- All of the COVID-19 vaccines that have been granted marketing authorisation in Europe have been assessed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA ) as safe and efficient in fighting the coronavirus. Vaccines are analysed by scientists and authorities to ensure that they meet all the quality, safety and efficacy requirements in force.
- No medicine or vaccine is ever completely free of side effects, but authorised medicines and vaccines offer benefits that outweigh the potential risks (i.e. the vaccine-preventable disease and its complications are more severe or more dangerous to health than the side effects associated with the vaccine). Close monitoring and analysis of the efficacy and safety of vaccines continues after the marketing authorisation has been granted and the vaccine is taken into use.
Who should be notified of side effects?
- Side effects may occur after vaccination. The most common of these in the case of COVID-19 vaccines are pain and swelling at the injection site, headache, fever, feeling unwell, nausea, muscle and joint pain. They usually pass in a couple of days.
- If you develop a health problem that is serious or lasts longer than three days after vaccination, contact your doctor or call the GP helpline 1220 for advice on what to do next.
- Reporting any side effects to the State Agency of Medicines is the obligation of the vaccinators, but you can also inform the Agency yourself of any health-related complaints caused by vaccination using the report form on the Agency’s website. The State Agency of Medicines publishesinformationon the received side effect reports once a week on Mondays.
Don't believe false allegations
- There are a number of false allegations surrounding COVID-19 vaccines, the goals of which are to scare people. For example, no chips are injected in your body with the vaccine, the vaccine does not leave pathogens in your body, does not contain life-threatening poisons or metals, does not cause infertility, etc.
- If you hear or read something that makes you suspicious, look for information from reliable sources. You can read more about the myths and false allegations about COVID-19 vaccines on the vaccinate.ee website. You can also consult your doctor or call the GP helpline 1220, where medical professionals answer your questions 24h a day.
Vaccines
There are several reasons why you should get vaccinated against the coronavirus:
- The progression of COVID-19 is unpredictable and it can damage the health and quality of life of both a younger and an older person for a long time
- All vaccines available in Estonia reduce severe infections and hospitalisations
- Those who have recovered from the disease and then gotten vaccinated have a significantly smaller chance of getting infected again.
- Every vaccinated person counts -- this way we are protecting the weakest among us who cannot get vaccinated due to their health condition. These can be our parents, children, friends, acquaintances, or simply people we pass on the street. Vaccinating is caring.
Vaccinating against the coronavirus is probably the only sustainable and real solution to stop the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can get vaccinated at:
- your family health centre;
- at the vaccination rooms of hospitals and in private health facilities. Find a location and time most suitable for you from the Health Portal at www.terviseportaal.ee;
- in pharmacies across Estonia. Find the pharmacy closest to you and book an appointment at the web page vaktsineeriapteegis.ee (in Estonian).
If you need further counselling on COVID-19 vaccinations, we recommend that you consult with your family doctor or call the Family Doctor's Advice Line 1220 or 634 66 30. The calls are answered by medical professionals 24/7. Advice is given in Estonian and Russian (advice in English every day between 15.00 and 17.00).
The vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis (the so-called tick vaccine):
- The interval between the COVID-19 vaccine and the vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis should be 14 days.
Flu vaccine:
- There in no fixed interval of time that should be left between the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine. The vaccines can be received on the same day as well, but in orde to identify possible reactions, the shots should be administered to different arms.
If you are feeling good, you may work out. If you get side effects like fever, we recommend refraining from working out.
Having had COVID-19 is not a contraindication to vaccination. According to the current recommendation, the people who have recovered are also being vaccinated with one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The level of antibodies provided by vaccination is tens of times higher than we get just by having the virus. This will also give us longer immunity.
While the vaccine volumes are limited, the preferred target group should be those who have not had COVID-19 within the last 6 months.
If a person has had the virus without being aware of it himself, he will be vaccinated with two doses of the vaccine, which is not dangerous to the organism.
Consuming alcohol is not a direct contraindication and does not affect the production of antibodies but we do not recommend consuming alcohol either before or after vaccination. Temporary mild side effects, like fever, headache, muscle pain etc., may occur after receiving the coronavirus vaccination and n interaction with the vaccine, the alcohol could make you feel even worse.
Chronic alcoholics may have a weaker immune response.
It is definitely not allowed to go to the vaccination drunk! We ask you to be respectful towards the doctors and nurses that are administering the vaccinations.
It is allowed to eat before vaccination. If you wish, you can also go without eating first. We would rather recommend eating something first so that missing a meal would not make you feel worse overall.
With these vaccines, the genetic material of the pathogen is delivered into the organism in the form of either DNA or RNA, and based on the information contained in it, the organism itself will synthesize the part of the pathogen necessary for the creation of immunity, i.e. the antigen. As a rule, this is some protein of the pathogen, in the case of the coronavirus the spike protein on its surface. One way of describing the situation would be that if an organism needs food daily, in the case of one vaccine a ready meal is delivered, in the case of another the organism is delivered a recipe and the organism itself is capable of preparing the food with the help of the recipe.
Compared to a protein, the mRNA is a simpler molecule and thus the production of mRNA is generally faster than the production of vaccines that have been in use up until now. The idea of vaccines based on mRNA is actually already decades old and this type of vaccines have been tested in clinical studies for different infectious diseases. For different reasons, none of them have been taken into use on humans thus far. There is reason to hope that technological development will allow it now.
More information is available here: https://somblogi.wordpress.com/2020/12/22/triin-suvi-ja-pille-saalik-ravimiametist-selgitavad-kuidas-toimivad-meie-kehas-koroonavaktsiini-erinvad-tuubid/
As several different vaccines are on the market and being developed, their characteristics are certain to somewhat differ from each other.
Whether a vaccine is suitable or unsuitable for somebody is noted on the information sheet of the vaccine. Who should be vaccinated and how is best known to the medical worker who carries out the vaccination.
If you need further counselling in order to make a decision about the COVID-19 vaccination, we recommend consulting with your family doctor or calling the Family Doctor's Advice Line 1220 or 634 66 30. Medical professionals are answering the calls there 24/7. Advice is given in Estonian and Russian (it is possible to get advice in English every day between 15.00 and 17.00).
More about the vaccines can be read from here: https://vaktsineeri.ee/en/covid-19/covid-19-vaccines/
Yes. All the COVID-19 vaccines that have received a marketing authorisation in Europe have been assessed to be sufficiently safe and effective in fighting the coronavirus by the European Medicines Agency. The vaccines are analysed by scientists and authorities whose task it is to guarantee that they would meet all quality, safety, and efficacy requirements in force. The conditions for receiving a marketing authorisation have not been loosened due to the pandemic and no compromises have been made in the evaluation criteria (safety, quality, efficacy).
No vaccine or medicine is ever 100% free of side effects but a marketing authorisation is given to medicines and vaccines that offer a benefit that is bigger than the possible risks (suffering through the disease that the vaccine prevents and the complications are harder or more dangerous to health than the side effect linked to the vaccine). Careful monitoring of the efficacy and safety of the vaccines continues even after the marketing authorisation is issued and the vaccine is taken up.
If you need further counselling in order to make a decision about the COVID-19 vaccination, we recommend consulting with your family doctor or calling the Family Doctor's Advice Line 1220 or 634 66 30. Medical professionals are answering the calls there 24/7. Advice is given in Estonian and Russian (it is possible to get advice in English every day between 15.00 and 17.00).
Read more:
Viruses mutating is a regular process. All mutations do not lead to reduced efficacy of the developed vaccines but the genetic changes in virus strains are still followed closely in order to evaluate their effect on the vaccines that have been or are being developed.
Last updated: 27.10.2022