Adult vaccination

Within the national immunisation schedule, adults are vaccinated against diphtheria and tetanus free of charge. Vaccinations are performed at the family medicine centre.

Vaccinations that are not part of the national immunisation schedule, which are performed at the recommendation of a doctor, or at the person’s own request, are subject to a fee. At the expense of the patient it is possible to vaccinate against infectious diseases that are not financed by the national vaccination plan. For more detailed information, ask your family doctor and nurse or a specialist or a midwife.

The valid price list is here.

Medicum offers vaccinations against the following diseases:

Vaccinated disease

Name of the vaccine

Pneumococcal infection PREVENAR 13, PNEUMOVAX 23, APEXXNAR
Tick-borne encephalitis ENCEPUR, TICOVAC
Chicken pox VARILRIX, VARIVAX
Hepatitis B ENGERIX-B
Pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus ADACEL, BOOSTRIX
Measles, mumps and rubella M-M-RVAX-PRO
Poliomyelitis or infantile paralysis IMOVAX POLIO, POLIORIX
Human papilloma virus infection (HPV) GARDASIL (types 5, 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45 and 52)
Hepatitis A virus HAVRIX, AVAXIM
Hepatitis A, hepatitis B TWINRIX ADULT
Influenza VAXIGRIP TETRA, FLUARIX TETRA or INFLUVAC TETRA
Typhoid fever TYPHERIX, TYPHIM VI
Yellow fever STAMARIL

Most common infectious diseases and their prevention

Influenza spread is seasonal all over the world. Influenza can be prevented by vaccination that should be performed before the season, beginning in October. Influenza starts suddenly, symptoms include a high fever (38°C and more), plus cough, head, throat or muscle pain, breathing difficulties or diarrhoea may occur.

Influenza vaccine does not provide long-term prevention due to high variability of influenza A virus. Therefore, the composition of the influenza vaccine is updated annually and it is recommended to administer the new vaccine dose before the season. The influenza vaccine will be effective in healthy people 10-14 days after injection and its effect lasts up to a year. Children are vaccinated against influenza from the 6th month onwards.

Human papilloma virus (HPV) has many genotypes, some of which are transmitted sexually and may cause cervical cancer. HPV vaccine provides protection from the most common virus types causing cervical cancer. Vaccination is 100% effective in women who are not infected with any of the virus types contained in the vaccine; in the infected women, it protect them from virus types with which they are not yet infected. Ideally, the vaccine should be administered before the potential exposure HPV; therefore, before the beginning of sexual life, preferably from the age 9. Vaccinations are done with three injections within 6 months.

Chicken pox is a highly contagious viral disease with fever and rash that usually is experienced in the childhood. The disease is rarely complicated in children with healthy immune systems, but it may cause skin infections, pneumonia or meningitis. The varicella-zoster virus progression is much more difficult in adolescents and adults. Therefore, it is recommended for people who have not had chickenpox, to be vaccinated against it from the age of 12.

Tick-borne encephalitis spreads to human blood with infected tick bites. The virus can cause brain and meningeal infection; milder cases are limited to flu-like symptoms. Tick-borne encephalitis vaccinations should start no later than April, because then the immunity can develop before the tick season. Complete vaccination consists of three tick-borne encephalitis vaccinations: the first are done with 1-3 month intervals, the third in nine months to a year later. The first repeated injection is done 3 years later, followed by repeated injections with 5-year intervals. Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis is recommended from the age of one year.

Pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae) is a microbe, which can cause middle ear and sinus infection, but also lung and meningeal infection and sepsis. Pneumococcal vaccine protects from the pneumococcus subtypes, which are contained in the vaccine and protects against meningitis and sepsis and also partly from middle ear infection and pneumonia. Pneumococcal vaccine is recommended surely, if the person is suffering from a chronic pulmonary disease (asthma), heart disease (heart defect), kidney disease (nephrotic syndrome), metabolic disease (diabetes), is planned for organ transplant or middle ear implant placement or removal of the spleen.

In diphtheria, patchy inflammation arises in the airways, mainly the pharynx and larynx. Thick patches in the larynx can cause airway obstruction and suffocation. In Estonia, diphtheria has not been identified in recent years, but there have been cases of diphtheria in the neighbouring countries, in Latvia and Russia.

Tetanus or lockjaw is a very difficult disease and often deadly. Diphtheria and tetanus revaccinations are performed every 10 years from the age of 25. The vaccine also may be administered while breastfeeding.

Whooping cough is a bacterial infection with coughing that can last for weeks or even months. In infants, whooping cough may be a cause of respiratory failure, pneumonia, seizures and permanent brain damage. Also, in later ages, a history of whooping cough can cause complications. Whooping cough may infect repeatedly during a lifetime. Immunity to whooping cough after infection or vaccination is not lifelong.

Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV), one of the infectious hepatic inflammatory viruses. HAV mono-vaccines are sufficient with 2 doses – the second dose is administered 6 to 12 months after the first. Combined vaccines are based on the hepatitis B vaccination scheme and a total of 3 doses (0, 1, and 6 months) are administered.

Poliomyelitis is caused by the Enterovirus Poliomyelitis virus. Cases of polio in Europe have happened only among the non-vaccinated. In milder cases, the disease is limited to fever, headache, throat and abdominal pain. Classic limb muscle flaccid paralysis leaves a physical disability; paralysis of the breathing muscles can be fatal.