As a means for service providers to circumvent restrictions affecting their operations, the passport will not be available for medium- and high-risk events, such as large concerts that do not have seats for all participants, for three weeks from Tuesday 28 December.
Restaurants in the so-called community transfer areas will also not be able to use the passport to circumvent the restrictions, but will have to stop serving alcohol by 9pm and close from 10pm on Friday 24th. Restrictions will be tightened further next week, and restaurants that sell mainly alcohol will have to stop serving by 5pm and close by 6pm on Tuesday.
Almost all parts of the country are currently classified as community ranges.
โWe are now buying more time nationally so that my micron does not pose a national threat and we can promote vaccinations,โ commented the Minister of Family and Social Affairs. Krista Kiuru (SDP). “Therefore, there are also elements in the package that temporarily limit the use of the coronavirus passport in high- and medium-risk events.”
“This is not done for low-risk events.”
Restrictions are valid for three weeks. Minister of Science and Culture Antti Kurvinen (Center) stated at a briefing that the government is preparing to reimburse the immediate and unavoidable costs of the restrictions on businesses.
Although the government recommends a temporary restriction on the use of the coronavirus passport in cases where the risk of infection is estimated to be significant, regional authorities may adopt a stricter approach based on an assessment of the epidemiological situation. reminded Helsingin sanomat newspaper.
โIf the situation worsens very dramatically in an area, the health authorities and regional government agencies will investigate. But the national guideline is that low-risk exercise and cultural activities can be organized safely for health, Kurvinen said.
Kiuru predicted that “very strict” restrictions would be introduced in four provinces and drew attention to the situation in Pirkanmaa, Northern Ostrobothnia, Uusimaa and Southwest Finland.
The Regional State Administrative Agency of Southwest Finland decided on Monday that it would ban all public events and close certain facilities. The authorities in Northern Ostrobothnia, for their part, published a list of tough restrictions on Wednesday.
The government also decided to impose entry conditions on passengers from the European Union and the Schengen area. The requirement does not apply to Finnish citizens, permanent residents, persons traveling for necessary reasons or members of Finnish-Swedish or Finnish-Norwegian cross-border communities.
The requirement is valid until 16.1.2022.
Distance learning is recommended for the same day in higher education, free adult education, adult education and adult education. Thus, personal education is intended to continue only in primary, upper secondary and vocational education.
The government also noted that coronavirus vaccines will be offered to anyone over the age of five and that legislation will be amended to increase the number of professional groups eligible to administer vaccines.
Kiuru stressed that the government is ready to make new decisions if the restrictions fail to take effect, and said the situation will be monitored for two weeks before the necessary decisions are made.
โWe are fully prepared every hour of every day. I thought it would make sense to rest a little on Christmas Eve. โ
Aleksi Teivainen – HT