On Monday, the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) revised its recommendation for fourth Covid vaccinations, urging municipalities to begin administering the jabs to certain groups as early as July, or by 1 August at the latest.

This means that 60-79 year olds, as well as those aged 18-69 in high-risk groups, could receive the second booster ahead of schedule.

The health agency recommends the second booster shot be offered in stages, in the following order: people aged 70-79 not belonging to risk groups, adults aged 18 to 69 who are in a risk group, and lastly all those aged 60-69 not belonging to risk groups.

The THL's announcement follows a recommendation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) that fourth doses should be quickly administered to everyone over the age of 60, as well as people belonging to risk groups.

"Following the ECDC and EMA recommendation, we have discussed with municipalities the possibility of pushing forward the vaccination schedule," Mika Salminen, Director of Health Security at THL, said.

For now, the new recommendation does not apply to those aged 12-17 at high risk. According to the THL, the National Advisory Committee on Vaccines (Krar) plans to discuss and make its own proposal on the continuation of the Covid vaccination program for children by early August.

The health agency announced earlier this month that it would recommend a dose of the forth vaccine for people over 65, starting in mid-August, and to people over 60 and to those in high-risk groups between the ages of 12-59 in September.