Finland eases entry restrictions further

The government on Tuesday decided to ease restrictions further on people arriving in Finland, said the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in a press release.

The government has adopted a new decree on the exceptions to the obligation to present a COVID-19 certificate or undergo a COVID-19 test upon arrival in Finland from abroad.

The decree will enter into force on Wednesday.

People arriving in Finland will be required to have a reliable certificate of recovery from COVID-19 within the past six months, a certificate of a full vaccine course or a certificate of a negative COVID-19 test taken before arrival in Finland.

The obligation to show proof or be tested for COVID-19 does not apply to people arriving in Finland from countries or regions where the incidence of COVID-19 or the prevalence of virus variants does not pose a particular risk of spreading the epidemic.

Under the government decree, people arriving in Finland from Hong Kong, China, Macao, Malta, Taiwan, Hungary, New Zealand, Poland and the Vatican, and the Norwegian municipalities of Storfjord, Kåfjord, Nordreisa, Kautokeino, Karasjok, Tana, Nesseby and Sør-Varanger and the Swedish municipalities of Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala and Övertorneå will not be required to be tested or show a certificate.

Also, people arriving from these countries or regions are not required to take a second COVID-19 test within 72–120 hours of their arrival in Finland.

The new decree will remain in force until 15 October. The list of countries and regions and the epidemiological situation will be reviewed every two weeks.