The regional COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup of South Karelia stated at its meeting on 19 January 2021 that the epidemic is still in the acceleration phase in South Karelia. The three stages of an epidemic are the baseline, acceleration, and spreading phases.
The restriction issued by the Regional State Administrative Agency, based on which gatherings must be limited to 20 people and which is applied to all indoor and outdoor events, including leisure time activities as a recommendation, is still valid.
The regional COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup previously issued a restriction that limits private gatherings to 10 people when South Karelia entered the acceleration phase.
The situation assessment workgroup hopes that the residents will follow the instructions, recommendations, and restrictions provided on the prevention of the coronavirus epidemic carefully in South Karelia.
As South Karelia is in the acceleration phase, the currently valid restrictions applied to leisure time activities must not be relaxed.
– At the present time, the regional situation is stable and infections are well under control, but the different variants of the virus may change the situation rapidly, says the chair of the regional COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup Tuula Karhula. – Recommendations and restrictions must still be followed. The new variant may change the situation relatively rapidly and make it more severe. Restrictions cannot yet be relaxed.
This is also the wish expressed for regions at a national level. Principally, recommendations will remain unchanged in February. However, the situation is being assessed constantly and reacted to appropriately, where required.
Situation at the border crossing points is at the same level as before Christmas.
Traffic volumes at border crossing points in South Karelia have levelled out after Christmas and the New Year. National guidelines are followed in cross-border traffic and it is recommended that private passengers have themselves tested for COVID-19 voluntarily.
Eksote has started two pilots concerning border crossings together with Kymsote and the Finnish Border Guard. Kymsote tests passengers who enter Finland for COVID-19 at the border and Eksote contacts people who arrive in Finland, in cooperation with the border control authorities.
The pilot period is 19 January – 7 February 2021 in the Eksote and Kymsote areas. In addition to the Social and Health Care Districts, the Preparedness Unit of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare THL, the Regional State Administrative Agency, HUS Diagnostics, the Southeast Finland Border Guard District, and the Finnish Customs were involved in the preparation of the pilots.
– Support material is produced for the border-crossing points in order to instruct the passengers. We hope that we will be able to prevent the spread of the different COVID-19 variants into the area. One means to achieve this is to reduce the number of people who arrive in Finland and to test the private passengers who cross the border and enter Finland for coronavirus as actively as possible, says Tuula Karhula. – This is the time to consider whether you really must travel or whether you could stay home instead.
Recommendations/guidelines regarding sport activities
In the South Karelia Region, the aim is to ensure that the leisure time activities and training of children and young people can continue for as long as possible, whilst observing hygiene instructions and the instructions of sports associations. Regional recommendations remain unchanged, except for the following specifications related to sports activities and playing:
Children and young people
The regional COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup recommends that matches, camps, and similar are not implemented within the region or between regions.
Due to the new variants of the COVID-19 virus, THL recommends that travelling to Great Britain, South Africa, and Ireland be avoided completely. Also all other travelling both within Finland and abroad should be restricted at the moment and only trips that are absolutely necessary should be made. This recommendation will remain valid until 28 February 2021, unless specified otherwise at a national level.
The sports academy that operates in Imatra and Lappeenranta can continue its operations, if it is possible to comply with all valid safety instructions. It is recommended that different age groups are not mixed, unless they are normally in contact with each other in leisure time activities.
Adults
Indoor group activities for adults (over 20-year-olds) are not recommended in team and contact sports. This recommendation will remain valid until 28 February 2021, unless specified otherwise at a national level.
In accordance with the guidelines of the Olympic Committee, training can be permitted at the Finnish Championship and the 1st Division levels, and for national team athletes. The same applies to playing and matches at the Finnish Championship and the 1st Division levels, and in the U20 series.
Outdoor training is also permitted in team sports of adults, i.e., over 20-year-olds, when assembly restrictions and instructions on health and safety are observed.
- Local ball game teams have requested a guideline on whether air-supported sport domes are classified as indoor or outdoor spaces. Principally, I would classify them as restricted indoor spaces, says Tuula Karhula.
The recommendations given at the meeting were prepared based on the feedback received from the sports services of the Cities of Imatra and Lappeenranta and local sport teams. The situation assessment workgroup considered them to be appropriate specifications to the valid recommendations. The situation assessment workgroup modifies the recommendations and instructions as required by the situation.
The above recommendations will be valid, unless other instructions are provided at a national level. It has been requested in South Karelia that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and THL take a stand in matters related to playing, for example. For the time being, no guidelines have been provided.
The aim of the above recommendations is to secure training opportunities and leisure time activities. The measures ensure that match trips of children and young people do not cause exposure to COVID-19 or start new infection chains in the region.
The valid regional instructions can be found on the websites of Eksote and the municipalities (in Finnish):
Eksote: https://www.eksote.fi/Koronavirus/
City of Lappeenranta: https://www.lappeenranta.fi/fi/Kaupunki-tiedottaa/Koronavirustilanne
City of Imatra: https://www.imatra.fi/korona
Lemi: https://leminkunta2020.lianacms.com/ajankohtaista/koronatiedotteet.html
Luumäki: https://www.luumaki.fi/koronavirustilanne-tietoa-ohjeita-linkkeja
Parikkala: http://parikkala.fi/fi
Ruokolahti: https://www.ruokolahti.fi/suomeksi/Kuntatietoa/korona
Rautjärvi: http://www.rautjarvi.fi/fi
Savitaipale: https://www.savitaipale.fi/
Taipalsaari: https://taipalsaari.fi/fi/Koronavirustilanne
Updated recommendations:
On 1 December 2020, the situation assessment workgroup decided to issue the following recommendations that will remain valid from 3 December 2020 to 31 January 2021. These recommendations were supplemented on 3 December 2020, 29 December 2020, and 19 January 2021, and their validity was extended to the end of January 2021. The recommendations will be applied to the authorities, the general public, business operators, and education organisers:
Private events:
Private events must have a maximum of 10 participants.
Education organisers:
It is recommended that secondary education shifts to remote learning starting on 7 December 2020, except for any contact teaching that is considered to be necessary by the organiser of the education. It is recommended that remote teaching be continued, at least, until 31 January 2021.
Early education and basic education will be continued as before.
The mask recommendation applies to all persons aged 12 or over, and to all school transportation.
A mask recommendation will be given to education organisers, also in school transportation. The education organiser must provide masks for children and young adults whose school transportation is their responsibility. Children and young adults who come to school by using public transport must acquire the masks themselves.
Public premises:
Events of the libraries will be cancelled and it is recommended that social premises, such as newspaper reading rooms, be closed. Book lending and returning activities will continue. The customers are requested to stay in the library premises only for the period of time that is necessary and to favour advance reservations. Wearing a mask in the library premises is strongly recommended.
The number of customers in museums and youth premises is limited to 20. It is recommended that youth activities be partly moved online, but youth premises can be kept open at the discretion of each municipality, when the prohibition of gatherings of over 20 persons is observed.
Group activities:
It is recommended that indoor group activities for people over 20 years of age be interrupted in team and contact sports.
Indoor and outdoor group activities for children and young people can be continued subject to careful consideration, when the prohibition of gatherings of over 20 persons is observed. Risks typical of the type of sports must be observed in group activities. If leisure time activities are not disrupted, the instructions of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, based on which it must be possible to avoid close contact between the participants and the persons bringing the children to the location, must be observed.
To secure the training of professional and competitive athletes, training can be continued if it is safe and it is possible to comply with the gathering restrictions and the instructions provided on gatherings. The maximum number of athletes that can be present simultaneously is 20.
Matches and playing
If matches/games are played without an audience, they are not public events. This means that such matches are not forbidden based on the regulation of the Regional State Administrative Agency.
If there is an audience, the regulation of the Regional State Administrative Agency and the need to limit gatherings to 20 people will apply. When the audience is separated from the players and the maintenance personnel (e.g., in a separate auditorium), the 20-person restriction is applied separately to the audience and the players, the latter of which includes referees and maintenance personnel.
Travelling:
Travelling between Finland and Russia must be avoided.
It is recommended that all travelling to areas that are in the spreading phase be avoided. In particular, travelling should be avoided to areas where the coronavirus situation is worse than in South Karelia. Travelling to ski centres in the North of Finland and abroad should also be avoided.
Remote working:
It is recommended that all employers in South Karelia organise remote working in all work tasks that can be completed remotely, even temporarily. If remote working is not an option, it is recommended that the employer advices the employees to use a face mask in all work premises, even when safe distances can be maintained. Meals and coffee breaks must be staggered. Work and business trips and contact teaching events are not recommended.
Mask recommendation:
The mask recommendation is valid in public transport, including school transport and taxi drivers and customers.
In other respects, the mask recommendation of the acceleration phase is applied to all persons aged 12 and over, in accordance with THL’s instructions:
Customer service points must be equipped with plexiglass shields. Employers must provide masks or protective face shields for customer service workers who work less than 1.5 metres from other people.
Events:
The organisation of events is not recommended. During the acceleration phase, events of the maximum of 20 people can be organised if it is possible to comply with the instructions provided by THL and the Ministry of Education and Culture on safe distances and hygiene practices precisely and in all respects.
Further information for event organisers on the Regional State Administrative Agency’s website (in Finnish): https://avi.fi/usein-kysyttya-koronaviruksesta
Instructions for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in connection to public meetings and assembly, and in public premises: https://minedu.fi/documents/1410845/22330894/Ohje+yleis%C3%B6tilaisuuksiin+yleisiin+kokoontumisiin+ja+julkisten+tilojen+k%C3%A4ytt%C3%B6%C3%B6n+21.9.2020.pdf/bef30f76-8187-9d78-1444-bb0686c8eeb6/Ohje+yleis%C3%B6tilaisuuksiin+yleisiin+kokoontumisiin+ja+julkisten+tilojen+k%C3%A4ytt%C3%B6%C3%B6n+21.9.2020.pdf?version=1.4&t=1604562383408
The situation in the rest of Finland and the valid restrictions and recommendations of other hospital districts can be found on the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare website under Regional situation. The page can also be accessed through the link found on the Eksote website at www.eksote.fi/koronavirus
The current stage of the epidemic in South Karelia is specified by the infectious disease authorities, together with the regional COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup. The South Karelian COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup includes representatives of the South Karelia Social and Health Care District, the municipalities, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Regional State Administrative Agency, and the local ELY Centre. In addition to the number of and the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, the stage of the epidemic depends e.g. on the traceability of infection chains and whether the virus was acquired within or from outside the region. The epidemic situation can change rapidly locally or regionally, even when the national situation is stable. The local COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup meets once a week, unless more frequent meetings are required.
Etelä-Karjalan sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon kuntayhtymä Eksote on vuodesta 2010 alkaen järjestänyt integroituja ja toimintakykyä edistäviä terveys- ja vanhustenpalveluja, perhe- ja sosiaalipalveluja sekä kuntoutuspalveluja maakunnan reilulle 128 000 asukkaalle. Eksotella on tällä hetkellä noin 100 toimipistettä kaikkien eteläkarjalaisten käytössä kotikunnasta riippumatta. Etelä-Karjalan keskussairaala vastaa erikoissairaanhoidosta ja ensivaste ja ensihoito järjestetään yhdessä pelastustoimen kanssa. Eksote on maakunnan suurin työnantaja ja työntekijöitä on noin 5000.
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