The Health Insurance Fund (Haigekassa) has been permitted to go into the red for 2021, for the first time ever, largely the result of the coronavirus pandemic. Riho Peek, head of the Health Insurance Fund's finance department, said that 2021 had been an extraordinary year. He said: "In the past, the Health Insurance Fund has had to end the year with balanced revenues and expenses." This would not be the case for 2021 due to the extra costs incurred by the pandemic at a time when social tax receipts have fallen, and taking into account the effects of the second COVID-19 wave from October last year.