The head of the Finnish Association of Public Health Nurses has come out in favour of sending nurses to vaccinate children at daycares, a proposal also supported by the Finnish Pediatric Society.
Only a third of young children in Finland get the seasonal flu vaccine, despite generally high vaccination coverage for other childhood diseases.
Kids' flu vaccination coverage varies significantly by region.
Coverage among 0–6-year-olds ranges from 13 percent in some areas to 43 percent in others, according to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
Coverage is lowest in Ostrobothnia and highest in South Karelia and North Savo
For maximum benefit, the jab should be administered annually, ideally before the flu season begins, in November or December.
"In Britain, children are vaccinated in daycare centres and schools. Bringing the vaccine to where children are means parents don't need to take time off work," Liisa Viikari of the Pediatric Society told Finnish news agency STT.
