Bars, diners resume Friday in N Ostrobothnia, Kittilä, others on 18 Apr

Restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses will be able to open to customers in Kittilä and North Ostrobothnia on Friday, while these business will remain closed in most areas of the country until 18 April, said the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment on Thursday.

The restaurants and bars will remain closed in regions where it is necessary to stop the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic.

The government on Thursday amended the decree on the regions that fall under the closure requirement. The amendment to the decree is based on the health authorities’ assessment of the epidemic situation in the regions. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) issued a statement on the epidemic situation on Wednesday.

As per the assessment, the restaurants and bars must be closed in Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, Satakunta, Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa, Päijät-Häme, Kymenlaakso, South Karelia, South Savo, North Savo, North Karelia, Central Finland, and Ostrobothnia.

The regions of Åland, South Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, Central Ostrobothnia, Lapland, and North Ostrobothnia, however, did not fall under the closure requirement.

The food and beverage service businesses to be closed down include cafés, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs that are open to the public. The closure also applies to outdoor terraces.

However, restaurants and cafes are allowed to sell meals and beverages for takeaway, either directly to the customer or for delivery. Restaurants can organise the delivery to the customer’s home themselves or by using other service providers.

The order to close restaurants does not apply to personnel canteens that are not open to the public. Canteens in residential homes for older people, hospitals, garrisons, prisons, daycare centres and schools, as well as other staff canteens closed to the general public may remain open.

However, they must still comply with the other restrictions imposed due to COVID-19.