After the first and second grade children ‘s schooling, club activities will be held outdoors in Helsinki in January due to the deteriorating coronavirus situation.
City officials hope the change will help reduce close contact between children and limit potential exposure to the virus.
Schools in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area also aim to avoid confusion between groups, as students from several different classes often attend after the same school.
"Indoors, groups of children would be miscellaneous, but outdoors we can change the program and do this safely for all students," Director of Basic Education, City of Helsinki Outi Salo said.
The after-clubs will start again when the schoolchildren return from vacation on January 10, and the outdoor ordinance will continue for about three weeks until the end of the month.
If conditions are particularly cold, children can go indoors to warm up at regular intervals. However, no specific temperature limit has been set.
"I would think that if children are normally dressed for outdoor activities, they will withstand the cold. Good winter clothes, outdoor pants or overalls, a hat and gloves, and good winter shoes are not enough," Salo said.
Approximately 8,500 first and second graders take part in the activities of the after school clubs in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
Source: The Nordic Page