COVID restrictions to continue until mid-Feb

The government on Tuesday decided to continue the ongoing coronavirus restrictions until middle of February against the backdrop of the worsening pandemic situation in the country,said an official press release.

The leaders of the five-party alliance government at a meeting also took the decision to update the strategy by this time to ease the restrictions gradually, said Prime Minister Sanna Marin at a press briefing in the evening after the meeting held for several hours.

"We are expecting the end of this Omicron wave. That is why we have started to get preparations for how to lift the restrictions after mid-February," said the Premier at the press briefing.

The meeting, however, decided to lift restrictions on indoor sports and activities for children and youths immediately and easing restrictions on border controls from February onwards as per the recommendations given by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Higher education institutions will also to switch to a hybrid teaching strategy to allow both the distance and contact teaching after January.

The government plans to expand the use of the coronavirus certificate with the view to make it an independent tool.

The meeting observed that the present Omicron wave will climb its peak in the country in the next two to three weeks and the government has no planning to impose state of emergency at this moment.

The meeting also decided to begin work to update its hybrid COVID-19 strategy and test-and-trace strategy. If the development of the epidemic allows, the gradual lifting of restrictions and the reintroduction of the COVID-19 passport could begin after mid-February.

The updated COVID-19 strategy will outline when and how the restrictions will be lifted. The Government will decide on the matter later.

The government received an update from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on the preparations for expanding the use of the COVID-19 passport.

The aim is to allow more extensive use of the COVID-19 passport at recreational events by making the necessary amendments to the Communicable Diseases Act, the press release added.