News across Finland reports that Monday is the first day of school for many pupils and students after the fall, and it is also the first day that people vaccinated with Covid-19 can take off their masks in schools, reports. Swedish daily newspaper HBL.
As of October 25, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has removed its recommendation from masks for schools for 6th grade and older students.
The magazine writes that the risk of getting the coronavirus in kindergartens, schools and other educational institutions is now low, according to THL.
This also means that school staff no longer have to wear a mask if they are fully vaccinated against the virus. However, THL still recommends face masks for unvaccinated people over 12 years of age.
Helsinki district heating hike
The City of Helsinki’s energy company Helen has raised district heating costs much more than other large cities in Finland, reports Helsingin sanomat newspaper.
Helen, which has a near monopoly on district heating production in Helsinki, announced a 30 percent price increase in September until the end of the year. But this is just one of several hikes in the last decade, according to HS.
In 2015โ2020, Helen paid dividends to the city of EUR 280 million.
The magazine suggests that Helenโs prices have risen because the city has behaved inconsistently in managing its energy company. It also suggests that Helsinki lacks a clear policy on whether Helen’s job is to make a profit for its owner or to produce affordable district heating for residents.
Restaurant labor shortage
The Finnish restaurant industry is having difficulty finding employees when it reopens, which could trigger a rise in wages in the industry, reports Financial messages.
Finland has lifted most Covid restrictions on bars and restaurants, and the country’s typically busy pre-Christmas holiday season is now gaining momentum.
However, Taloussanomat notes that precarious work situations over the past year and a half have led to the transfer of up to a fifth of restaurant workers to other sectors.
Source: The Nordic Page