“It is not possible to quarantine categories” Teija PuhtoChief Physician for Infectious Diseases at Oulu University Hospital, stated To Helsingin Sanomat. “You should basically call the parent of every child to do so. Anyone who tests positive gets a call right now, but that too takes 10 days. If you had to call 30 others too, common sense says it’s a pretty nonsensical idea.
Whole classes have not been quarantined in Pirkanmaa for a long time, it was said Jaana SyrjänenChief Physician of the Infectious Diseases Unit of Tampere University Hospital.
“We don’t expect us to change this practice at this point,” he told the newspaper. – Tracing and quarantine measures have already lost their relevance in such an epidemiological situation.
Otto HelveChief Physician of the Department of Health and Welfare (THL) on Monday told me According to YLE, the measures proposed by the government – low-threshold quarantine and bi-weekly self-testing of students – are not particularly effective in managing the epidemic.
“Such quarantine protocols are virtually ineffective, given that schools in the environment are not where the engine of the epidemic is,” he said.
He added that focusing on children and young people in general is not terribly important in reducing infections.
Kirsi VarhilaThe Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health told the Finnish Broadcasting Corporation that quarantine instructions were proposed only as a temporary solution – partly due to the lack of other alternatives.
“There are experiences in many places that it is possible. We have not proposed it as a permanent solution, he said.
Helsinki, together with 11 other municipalities in Uusimaa, announced yesterday that it had renewed its practices related to the quarantine and contact tracing of persons exposed to the virus, stating that contact tracing should only be carried out in units where people at risk live. Serious forms of Covid-19.
Other exposures, such as family, school, or workplace exposures, no longer require a formal quarantine order, although those exposed are encouraged to reduce the risk of infection by reducing contact with other people.
The amendments were implemented in Espoo, Helsinki, Hyvinkää, Järvenpää, Kerava, Kirkkonummi, Mäntsälä, Nurmijärvi, Pornais, Porvoo, Tuusula and Vantaa on Monday, January 10th.
Sanna IsosomppiThe Chief Physician for Infectious Diseases of the City of Helsinki reminded Helsingin Sanomat that quarantine decisions are administrative decisions affecting the individual and not political decisions. He added that the epidemic is so rampant that it cannot be stopped by quarantining asymptomatic people because the virus can be exposed anywhere.
“I see no reason to quarantine Helsinki. A sick child should stay home. That’s the most important thing. And that’s the message we’re trying to get right now.”
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
Source: The Nordic Page