The regional COVID-19 situation assessment workgroup of South Karelia stated at its meeting on 15 June 2021 that the epidemic is at the baseline level in South Karelia. The three stages of an epidemic are the baseline, acceleration, and spreading phases.
At the present time, the following decisions made by AVI regarding the Communicable Diseases Act remain in force:
At the present time, the situation is calm, and it is unlikely that healthcare services will become overloaded.
– The traceability of infection chains has been hundred percent and no new mass exposures have been identified. The number of people ordered to quarantine is also small, says senior physician Sami Raasakka.
The increased volume of cross-border traffic and the matches of the Finnish team at the European Football Championship games in St. Petersburg on 16 and 21 June 2021 are a significant risk factor due to the COVID-19 situation in St. Petersburg and in Russia in general.
In Great Britain, the vaccination coverage is at a good level: nearly 60 percent of the population has received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Despite this, the Delta variant continues to spreads quickly within the country. Persons who have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine also seem to be quite well protected against this quickly spreading Delta variant. One dose is sufficient to protect against the severe form of the disease and hospitalisation.
– In Finland, the share of the Delta variant is, for the time being, still relatively small among the identified variants. It is hoped that our good vaccination coverage will also help to keep this quickly spreading variant under control. However, two doses of the vaccine are needed to provide more efficient protection. Even though vaccinations will determine the direction in which the epidemic will develop, the familiar protection methods, i.e., face masks, washing/disinfecting of hands, and safety distances, will need to be used until a sufficient proportion of the population has received two doses of the vaccine, says Eksote’s Chief Infectious Diseases Physician Pekka Suomalainen.
– Vaccinations are progressing in an exemplary manner in Finland, and even extremely well in South Karelia. The vaccination of under 30-year-olds has started relatively slowly – we hope that this will change so that a large proportion of young people will also have themselves vaccinated, says the chair of the situation assessment workgroup Tuula Karhula.
During the first two weeks of June, around 1,600 people have arrived in Finland through the Nuijamaa border-crossing point. Of these passengers, 1022 have been tested; the rest have, principally, had the certificates required to enter Finland. Of the test results, nine were positive. This is twice as many as in the previous weeks. The current challenges include the increased cross-border traffic caused by the European Championship games. People travelling to the games and staying abroad for over 72 hours can cause queues at the COVID-19 testing points if they do not have a valid negative test result or a vaccination certificate.
The volume of passenger traffic at the Nuijamaa border-crossing point is increasing. The visa application centre in St. Petersburg will increase its visa granting capacity starting next week and, based on the estimates, the volume of cross-border traffic will continue to increase. Russia has started to test foreigners for COVID-19 at various border-crossing points and is testing all passengers arriving in the country, even when they have a negative test result that complies with requirements, says border guard Ari Jokinen from the Southeast Finland Border Guard.
– Passengers should be prepared for longer than usual waiting times at the border-crossing point due to COVID-19 testing, says Jokinen.
Recommendations are still valid
The situation assessment workgroup recommends that employers continue to apply the remote working recommendation in South Karelia until the end of August and that institutions continue to principally meet by means of remote conferencing. The decision will remain in force until 31 August 2021.
At the baseline level of the epidemic, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health recommends that the following set of measures be followed in the region:
Practices adopted during the epidemic, i.e., good hand and respiratory hygiene, the use of a face mask, social distancing, and taking others into consideration, will continue to be followed in public premises and other premises that are open to visitors.
Sufficient safe distances must be maintained in indoor premises intended for sports, exercising, amusement and recreation.
Increased volume of cross-border traffic is visible in the cityscape and in the increased number of shopping tourists
Changes in the travel restrictions are expected to bring an increasing number of tourists into the region. The COVID-19 situation is poorer in Russia than it is in Finland and also the vaccination coverage is poorer.
Hygiene instructions also in Russian as passenger volumes increase
To promote public health at stores, Russian speaking customers should also be observed in the COVID-19 instructions that are provided by the stores to their customers. It is recommended that stores and businesses place on display instructions also in Russian and that any in-store announcements are also made in Russian.
The situation assessment workgroup addressed the importance of providing instructions and announcements also in Russian in food stores, restaurants, and other stores and shopping places of the region. Instructions will be sent to operators in the food sector on the preparation of Russian-language material but also all other operators are advised to take into account hygiene instructions, the use of a face mask, and safe distances in all interaction in public premises.
To check the current vaccination situation, please go to www.eksote.fi/koronarokotukset.
Eksote’s coronavirus vaccination advising and appointment service is open from Monday to Friday at 9:00–6:00. To contact the service, please call +358 5 352 2355.
The valid regional instructions can be found on the websites of Eksote and the municipalities:
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://www.lemi.fi/ajankohtaista/koronatiedotteet.html
Luumäki: https://www.luumaki.fi/koronavirustilanne-tietoa-ohjeita-linkkeja
Parikkala: http://www.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
The valid recommendations in South Karelia
The following recommendations will be valid in South Karelia from 1 June 2021 to 30 June 2021, unless stated otherwise. The recommendations are decided upon by the situation assessment workgroup at its weekly meetings. The recommendations will be applied to the authorities, the general public, business operators, and education organisers. It is hoped that private operators will also follow the corresponding recommendations provided to the region.
At the baseline level of the epidemic, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health recommends that the following set of measures be followed in the region:
Protect yourself and those closest to you against a coronavirus infection:
The following measures help prevent the spread of the virus, including any new COVID-19 variants.
The use of a face mask in the Eksote area when the epidemic is at the baseline level:
The use of a mask is recommended in the following situations and for the following persons aged 12 years or older:
The use of a mask is always recommended in situations where it is difficult to avoid close contact. Local authorities can, based on their own risk assessment, provide supplementary recommendations for their area. In South Karelia, the face mask recommendation is valid at all indoor and outdoor events.
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 2 metres from other people.
It is recommended that the staff wear a face mask in early childhood education and in primary education when they are in contact with other adults indoors; this includes other staff members and the parents of the children. Staff can stop using a mask in early childhood education when working with their own child group. As regards outdoor premises, it was already instructed previously that a mask is no longer necessary.
Secure the health of customers and participants
Obligations laid down in section 58(c) and 58(e) of the Communicable Diseases Act must be met in customer and participant premises, at service stations, and in passenger traffic. The sections oblige the operators responsible for the premises specified in the said section to ensure that customers or participants can clean their hands. Operating instructions must be provided to customers and participants regarding the maintenance of a sufficient safe distance to others, the cleaning of hands, and other practices that aim to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In addition, operators referred to in the section must organise the area reserved for the customers and participants as loosely as possible, observing the special characteristics of the activity in question, and to locate any seats reserved for the customers as far from each other as possible.
Section 58(e) provides regulations on the responsibility of traffic operators to intensify the cleaning of surfaces. They are also obliged to ensure that other practices to prevent the spread of infections are followed and the passengers are provided with an opportunity to maintain a sufficient hygiene level on the means of transport, and are also provided with operating instructions, on the means of transport, regarding the maintenance of a sufficient safe distance to others, cleaning of hands, use of a face mask, and other similar practices that prevent the spread of infections.
It is especially important to pay attention to sufficient safe distances in the indoor premises intended for sports, exercising, amusement and recreation, which pose a high infection risk. Here premises mean premises that can be closed with a decision given based on section 58(g) of the Communicable Diseases Act if the epidemic situation becomes worse.
Take those belonging to a risk group into consideration
Age is a significant risk factor for developing a severe coronavirus infection. People with a long-term illness are also at a higher risk. (THL / risk groups for severe coronavirus disease: https://thl.fi/en/web/infectious-diseases-and-vaccinations/what-s-new/coronavirus-covid-19-latest-updates/risk-groups-for-severe-coronavirus-disease)
Persons belonging to a risk group and those closest to them are advised to follow the general instructions for reducing the risk of an infection. Persons belonging to a risk group should ensure good hand hygiene and maintain a minimum safe distance of 1–2 metres to others when running errands. Spending time in shops and running errands at peak hours should be avoided.
No changes should be made to the treatment of long-term illnesses. If you develop symptoms typical of a respiratory infection, avoid contact with other people and book a COVID-19 test in accordance with Eksote’s instructions.
If a person close to you belongs to a risk group, support them. Do not visit elderly people or persons belonging to some other risk group if you have any symptoms typical of a respiratory infection. Keep in touch with your family and friends by phone or meet them outdoors.
Continue to avoid close contact and exercise case-specific consideration when visiting elderly people or other persons belonging to a risk group. Avoid the shaking of hands and hugging, wear a mask, and ensure good hand hygiene before and after visits.
Family caregivers and personal assistants must observe the infection risk related to contacts and must also comply with the instructions of the authorities.
Visits to Eksote’s units must be implemented in accordance with valid instructions. Further information can be found on Eksote’s website (in Finnish): https://www.eksote.fi/Koronavirus/asiointijavierailu/
Additional information by THL: Elderly persons and other risk groups – coronavirus instructions instructions https://thl.fi/en/web/infectious-diseases-and-vaccinations/what-s-new/coronavirus-covid-19-latest-updates/risk-groups-for-severe-coronavirus-disease/elderly-persons-and-other-risk-groups-coronavirus-instructions
In addition, the following regional recommendations are valid in South Karelia:
Private events:
Good hand hygiene must still be followed at private events, as well as ensuring, to the extent possible, that face masks are used and a 1–2 metre safe distance is maintained. Persons with flu symptoms must not participate in private events. All gatherings and close contacts outside the home should be avoided whenever possible, which means that careful consideration should be exercised as regards the organisation of and participation in celebrations.
The situation assessment workgroup recommends that the residents do not participate in events organised in regions that are in the acceleration or spreading phase, and that no guests are invited from such areas to celebrations organised in South Karelia.
Education organisers:
In early childhood education, child groups can be combined for the summer, but the mixing of staff should be avoided.
Travelling:
All unnecessary travelling abroad and within Finland must be avoided.
Persons arriving from a high-risk country are directed to a health check. Based on a decision made by the Regional State Administrative Agency, a health check can be either compulsory or voluntary. The authorities of the entry point will provide more detailed instructions on this. Hight-risk countries are countries where the incidence of coronavirus disease has been more than 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants within the preceding 14 days. Persons arriving in Finland are expected to take a COVID-19 test, unless they can present a reliable clarification based on which they can be freed from this obligation. The health authorities will also require each passenger to provide their contact details. This enables the infectious diseases physician of the municipality of their stay or residence to direct them to a COVID-19 test 72 hours later. The contact details can also be used for the tracing of infection chains. The provision of contact details is compulsory.
It is recommended that all passengers who arrive in South Karelia stay in a 14-day voluntary quarantine.
Further information:
THL: Travel and the coronavirus pandemic >> (in Finnish)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Latest travel notifications >> (in Finnish)
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. The recommendation for institutions to use remote conferencing is also valid. The remote working and remote conferencing recommendation will remain valid until 31 August 2021.
Group leisure activities for children, young people, and adults:
In group leisure activities, a sufficient safe distance of 1–2 metres and good hand and coughing hygiene must be ensured. Only symptom-free persons can participate in the activities.
Public safety must be ensured in matches, competitions, and performances by complying with the valid general recommendations.
Events:
Public events can be organised in South Karelia, if the instructions of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the Ministry of Education and Culture for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in connection to public meetings and assemblies and in the use of certain public premises, can be followed.
Further information for event organisers on the Regional State Administrative Agency’s website (in Finnish): https://avi.fi/usein-kysyttya-koronaviruksesta
Instructions of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the Ministry of Education and Culture for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in connection to public meetings and assembly and in the use of certain public premises
The situation in the rest of Finland and the valid restrictions and recommendations of other hospital districts can be found at: https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/information-on-coronavirus/current-restrictions/hospital-districts. 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.
Additional information for the media:
Tuula Karhula, Chair of the situation assessment workgroup, Director of the Health and Elderly Services, Eksote, tel. +358 40 194 4936, [email protected]
Kristiina Kapulainen, Secretary of the situation assessment workgroup, Head of Safety and Preparedness, Eksote, tel. +358 40 651 1791, [email protected]
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