The government has further tightened the opening hours of bars and restaurants and customer capacity restrictions throughout Finland, which are due to take effect on Saturday, December 5.
The latest measures vary depending on whether the area is considered to be at the baseline, accelerating, or spreading stage of the epidemic.
The counties of Uusimaa, Päijät-Häme, Northern Ostrobothnia, Kymenlaakso and Kanta-Häme are all in the process of spreading. Therefore, all bars and restaurants in these areas must stop offering alcohol at 10pm and close their doors at 11pm.
Restaurants may open at 5 a.m., but may not sell beverages that are more than 2.8 percent alcohol before 7 p.m.
The provinces in the accelerating phase of the epidemic include Southwest Finland, Pirkanmaa, Southern and Central Ostrobothnia, Ostrobothnia, South Karelia, Satakunta, Central Finland and Kainuu.
In these areas, the supply of alcohol must also stop at 10 pm, the doors will be closed by 11 pm. Food cafés and restaurants may be open until 12:00.
Bars, pubs and nightclubs in both widespread and accelerating areas will also have to limit the number of customers to half the capacity, while restaurants and cafes will allow up to three-quarters of the normal number of customers.
Instructions on safety distances and hand hygiene are retained
There are currently only five provinces at the basic level: Lapland, North Karelia, South Savo, North Savo and Åland. In these areas, bars and restaurants must stop offering alcohol at 12 noon and close their doors at 1 p.m.
There are no restrictions on customers in the base areas, which are allowed on the premises at any time.
The following restrictions and hygiene instructions also apply to all bars and restaurants throughout the country:
– Each customer must have their own place.
– Each facility is responsible for ensuring adequate safety distances between customers.
– Customers must have access to hand washing facilities, which must be kept clean.
– Customers should be informed on how to prevent coronavirus infections.
The latest measures are valid until mid-December.
Source: The Nordic Page