Unusually high number of ticks this summer, but vaccination rates drop in Estonia
Estonia is experiencing an unusually high number of ticks this summer, yet vaccination rates against tick-borne encephalitis have dropped. Doctors advise that most ticks can be removed at home and medical help is only needed if symptoms develop.
This summer, Estonia is seeing an exceptionally high number of ticks, but interest in vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis has declined. According to Maria Vikentieva, chief specialist at the Health Board's infectious diseases department, the number of vaccinations in the first two quarters has roughly halved compared to last year. However, booster vaccination rates remain at the same high level.
Marit Märk, an emergency medicine staff member at the North Estonia Regional Hospital, says people have become overly reliant on medical services and often visit doctors for tick removal. She emphasizes that ticks can be safely removed at home using fine-tipped tweezers or a special tick removal tool available at pharmacies. Last year, the emergency department recorded 200 visits due to tick bites.
A family doctor should only be consulted if a characteristic rash appears around the bite site and expands over time, or if other symptoms of illness occur. Family physician Elizaveta Kalendina notes that if a small part of the tick remains in the skin, it is usually not dangerous. Ticks in Estonia are active from April to October, and this year's favorable conditions—a thick snow cover last winter and a moist spring—have led to their abundance.
