2 ministers go into self-quarantine after suspected exposure to coronavirus

Social Affairs and Health Minister Aino-Kaisa Pekonen and Employment Minister Tuula Haatainen went into self-quarantine on Thursday after their suspected exposure to the coronavirus.

They might have been exposed to the coronavirus on Tuesday and will therefore begin self-isolation, said a government press release.

The ministers were in the same space as a person suspected of having contracted the virus. That person is going to be tested today and the test results will be available within two days.

The government held a meeting On Wednesday at the House of the Estates where Ministers Pekonen and Haatainen were also present. The discussions were held in different rooms linked via remote connection. But there were individual contacts between the ministers outside the meeting.

For this reason, the prime minister has decided that, as a precaution, all ministers will now switch to remote work until at least the end of this week. The government will continue to work normally using remote connections.