Finland to be prepared in case of coronavirus 2nd wave: PM

Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Friday that she hoped her country would be "well prepared" in case of a second wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, so that very strict measures would not have to be used again, reported news agency Xinhua quoting national broadcaster Yle.

In an effort to explain the government's coronavirus crisis strategy, Marin held a joint press conference alongside experts from the Health Ministry and the country's health authority THL in the morning.

Citing mathematical models based on current infection rate figures, she said that Finland's health authorities are preparing for a slight decline in infections over the summer and anticipate a second wave in the autumn, Yle reported.

Due to the global nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, even strict measures by Finland would not block the appearance of the virus in the country again, she said.

Marin also said that even though 80 percent of the country's COVID-19 cases were being diagnosed in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region, the government does not have plans for regional deviations of restrictions in place, for example opening up restaurants in regions with very low infection rates.

Responding to a media question, she denied speculation that the Finnish government is seeking herd immunity. "The government does not try to attain herd immunity through infections," Marin said.

Statistics presented at the press conference showed a fast slowdown of the pandemic in Finland.

Taneli Puumalainen, the Chief Physician at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, said that the number of people who have recovered is now growing faster in Finland than the number of new infections. So far 6,200 persons have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in Finland and some 5,000 have recovered.