Today, the Riigikogu discussed as a matter of significant national importance the situation in the fight against coronavirus, at the initiative of the State Budget Control Select Committee. The presenters shared the position that the solution to the crisis is vaccination.

Chairman of the State Budget Control Select Committee Urmas Reinsalu, Minister of Health and Labour Tanel Kiik, and Chair of the Board of the Family Physicians’ Association of Estonia Le Vallikivi delivered reports at the sitting.

The Chairman of the Select Committee Urmas Reinsalu called the topic the most pressing and serious one that our nation and country are facing. “In the current situation where the virus is spreading catastrophically, we need to stick together as a society, and give due respect to our hardworking healthcare and education workers,” Reinsalu said. He suggested asking ourselves why we have come to this situation, and how to get out of it.

Reinsalu criticised the low vaccination level and the government allowing booster shots only after six months. A vaccine injury compensation foundation should have been established to improve the reliability of vaccination and increase people’s safety.

Reinsalu also criticised the hesitation before any decisions. The R number should have been brought down in the end of September; in that case, we would have less cases of death and a smaller hospital burden. He added that achieving the herd immunity comes at the price of too many lives.

Contradictory messages are flying around and causing confusion in the society. To keep the schools open, we should have introduced mass tests at the start of the school year. “The procrastination has allowed the virus to reach homes via the children, and this is taking our hospital network on the course of collapse,” Reinsalu said.

Reinsalu suggested introducing tests also for vaccinated and recovered close contacts, extending the validity of the recovery certificates to one year, giving access to rapid tests to those whose economic situation prevents them from getting one, and using additional motivators in case of the elderly. Reinsalu also spoke about the inadequate ventilation in schools.

The Chairman of the Select Committee thought that in a situation where the virus has wreaked havoc for eighteen months and will remain with us into the unforeseen future, the country needs a clear rule of law legislation level platform on the prevention of corona virus. Along with an anti-virus Act, the parliament could also establish a study committee.

The Minister of Health and Labour Tanel Kiik outlined the situation. Kiik began by admitting that the situation of hospital care over the last couple of weeks has deteriorated almost at double speed compared to the forecasts from two weeks ago. While the forecast from 11 October predicted that around 360–70 patients would be receiving hospital care at the beginning of this week, the actual number was over 500. This morning, there were 542 patients in hospitals, 379 because of a symptomatic COVID-19 illness, 70 % of them not vaccinated.

Kiik referred to the Southern region and Ida-Viru County, which is medically also considered in the South, as the hardest hit regions. The Southern region has practically reached the same level in the number of the infected and sick as at the height of the previous crisis.

The Minister described the situation in the Northern region as somewhat better, but by no means good. He affirmed that the capacity of large hospitals in Tallinn is high enough today to offer emergency care and maximum amount of planned treatments in addition to COVID-19 care. “Should the number of hospitalised patients increase by a lot, we would unfortunately be forced to introduce extensive restrictions; this we must prevent through combined efforts,” Kiik said.

The prime measure today is to respect all the infection prevention rules – wear a mask indoors, keep a distance, test in case of any symptoms, and stay at home when sick. The Minister recommended cancelling all events and activities, if possible. “As a rule, anything that is avoidable must be postponed,” Kiik said.

The Minister thanked all health care workers, but also the private sector, local governments, and ministries and their administrative units who have contributed towards solving the crisis. “In actual fact, Estonia’s health care is working overtime and under excessive burden year-round: before the pandemic, and after the pandemic,” Kiik admitted. There are less health care workers in Estonia than our population numbers would require. Estonia is contributing around 5% of the state budget to this field, or 6.5% of the GDP, along with contribution from the citizens themselves.

The Minister urged all the Estonian residents to do their part. “We need voluntary mobilisation. Meaning that everyone needs to identify the steps they can take,” Kiik said. “Who has not had time to get vaccinated yet, of course this would be their first step. This goes for everyone in the 12+ age group. Those adults whose first shots were six months ago should now go for a booster.”

Kiik sees vaccination as the only sustainable solution. “All other actions – minimising the risk of infection, testing, staying at home while experiencing symptoms – are support measures that are good for any illness,” Kiik said. “But if we talk about the solutions to the crisis, restrictions are a temporary thing. Restrictions are the things we do to reduce the R number, but the way out of the crisis is through vaccination.”

59.3% of the population has received one shot, and 56.8% are fully vaccinated. Among the adults, 69.2% have started the vaccination, and 66.5% have completed it. This means that two out of three adults are protected by the vaccine. In the 60+ age group, these numbers are slightly higher, with 72.4% having started and 70% having completed the vaccination. However, the Minister is not happy with these numbers. The COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Board has stated that 70% of the total population and 85% of the risk groups must get vaccinated.

The Chair of the Board of the Family Physicians’ Association of Estonia Le Vallikivi summarised the actions on the primary level and outlined the future vaccination activities of the GPs. “This is, in fact, a crisis for us all,” she said. “It concerns absolutely each and every one of us. And we are not talking purely about health, we are also talking about the social environment, our country as a whole.”

Vallikivi spoke about vaccination in general practices and said that the number of the practices who are sending out vaccination notices has multiplied as of yesterday. “I hope that these ten days show actual real results, and I hope that people will also contact us at their own initiative,” she said. “When we get at least one more person to vaccinate, this would actually be an excellent contribution.” Medical student volunteers made 15,000 phone calls and got 600 people to vaccinate.

The doctors are witnessing the devious character of the disease. For example, a six-year-old who had COVID in October last year, is again positive today. Another positive patient with a transplanted kidney is recovering.

The decisions made today lead to consequences that we need to live with later. She found it very troubling that three key health care institutions were currently without a director – Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre (TEHIK), Health Board, and State Agency of Medicines. It is not impossible that criticism might have been the reason why the previous directors left and why it is so difficult to find new candidates.

Vallikivi admitted that doctors often offer advice that is unpleasant or unpopular for the people. She hoped that everyone had the courage to make decisions together, and that the government and local governments found the capacity to work together.

The speakers also answered the questions of the members of the Riigikogu. The speakers then outlined their positions and opinions in response.

During the debate, Jevgeni Ossinovski (Social Democratic Party), Helir-Valdor Seeder (Isamaa), Siret Kotka (Centre Party), Henn Põlluaas (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), and Hele Everaus (Reform Party) took the floor on behalf of their factions.

Peeter Ernits (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Heiki Hepner (Isamaa), Jürgen Ligi (Reform Party), Kalle Grünthal (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Tarmo Kruusimäe (Isamaa), and Andres Metsoja (Isamaa) also spoke.

Photos of the sitting  (Erik Peinar, Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recordings of the sittings of the Riigikogu can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/riigikogu.
(Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)

Riigikogu Press Service
Epp-Mare Kukemelk
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