People not covered by health insurance and expats living in Estonia can get vaccinated against COVID-19 for free – just like the rest of the population.
The vaccination takes place on equal basis with the local population – people are invited to get vaccinated according to target groups, in accordance with the vaccination plan, according to the Estonian social affairs ministry.
Vaccination against COVID-19 takes place in stages. The first opportunity to get vaccinated is given to people who are in a risk group or whose vaccination is a priority to ensure the functioning of critical state services, such as doctors and nurses.
As soon as the vaccine volumes allow, Estonia will open up the possibility to get vaccinated to all who wish for it, the ministry said. “According to the prognosis of current delivery volumes, this will be possible no sooner than in May.”
If a person does not have a family doctor, he or she should turn to the nearest family doctor in the area of residence.
If you have any general questions about the vaccination process, please call 1247. If you have any health-related questions, please call the Family Physician Advisory Line 1220. For all the relevant information and updates about coronavirus disease COVID-19 in Estonia, please check the Estonian Health Board’s page.
Estonia’s vaccination programme that faced many setbacks at the beginning – partly due to the government’s mismanagement, particularly at the social ministry – is now seeing a slow, gradual progress. In total, in a nation of 1.3 million, just over 303,000 individuals have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Estonia at least once, and over 93,000 individuals have received two doses.
Cover: A woman receiving a vaccine. The image is illustrative. Photo by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Unsplash.
