Visits by foreign tourists to Finnish Lapland can incur huge additional costs if their travel insurance is not in order, especially if they have a positive Covid-19 test.
People diagnosed with upper respiratory disease are quarantined for 10 days Markku Broas, Chief Physician of Infectious Diseases of the Lapland Hospital District (LSHP).
"According to the Communicable Diseases Act, the costs of isolation and quarantine are ultimately the responsibility of the municipality and the return flight home is the responsibility of the tourist." Broas explained.
Earlier this week, it was reported that the number of Christmas holidaymakers arriving in Lapland and the Kuusamo region is likely to rise to pre-Covid levels this year.
About 20 foreigners, most of whom have been vaccinated, have been diagnosed with coronavirus in LSHP.
For many travelers in such situations, it feels most natural to isolate themselves from their familiar hotel rooms, but that is not always possible.
Guest responsibility
Accommodations across Lapland are almost full at this point in the season, and hotels are sometimes unprepared for guest Covid diagnoses and unexpected extensions.
Director of Lapland Hotels Sky Ounasvaara, Mira Sรถderlund, said he is trying to help guests who need to be isolated.
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"If guests do not have insurance or money or we do not have accommodation available, we will try to help them find temporary accommodation elsewhere," he explained and pointed out that finding accommodation is the responsibility of the customers.
"Customers are always primarily responsible for arranging quarantine accommodation. If they can’t, the authorities will help them, we are intermediaries," Sรถderlund said.
Managing Director of Tourist Clothing Visit Rovaniemi Sanna Kรคrkkรคinen, said the city has set up quarantine facilities to provide such accommodation in places other than hotels.
At the same time, the director of the education and recreation department of the city of Rovaniemi Antti Lassila, said as an alternative to arranging accommodation in existing places, such as hotels. But if the room is not available, the city will seek help from the social services office and ask if other facilities are available.
Testing and more testing
Guests of local hotels are almost invariably tourists from Europe. For example, Ounasvaara Hotel serves guests from the UK, Ireland and France. However, hotels have not commented on possible cases of coronavirus at the sites.
The majority of foreign visitors who have passed a positive Covid test have come from the UK, a country that has tightened its border-related border-crossing restrictions.
Upon returning home, British tourists must undergo a PCR test and be quarantined pending results.
Prior to the trip home, the major tour operators in Lapland have delivered home test kits to their customers’ accommodations.
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"If the home test is positive, a new test should be taken immediately at the municipal testing center and isolate while waiting for the result. If the second test is positive, it will trigger a normal chain of infection," Chief Physician Broas explained.
Streamlining strategy
Representatives from the tourism industry and municipalities, as well as communicable disease authorities, have been invited by the district hospital district to agree on common rules and procedures for coronavirus infection in visitors.
Visit Rovaniemen Kรคrkkรคinen said that tour operators must stick to current practices.
"Up-to-date information is important so that passengers do not have to wait for calls, but receive relevant information and feel as comfortable as possible in the circumstances," Pointed.
According to LSHP, the number of Covid tourists in the area was currently low, but the situation could change quickly as more visitors arrive.
The work involved in tracing the infection chain takes a lot of resources, and according to Chief Medical Officer Broas, infection tracers are already under intense pressure, especially in Rovaniemi and Inari.
"This poses challenges, and municipalities must also be prepared for it. Information and clarification for tourists also takes resources. It is worth preparing for, as there are many foreign tourists in Lapland and more are coming," Broas said.
Source: The Nordic Page