Restrictions on Uusimaa extended until the end of January News
Extensions and tightening restrictions are likely elsewhere in the country, regional authorities said on Wednesday.
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The Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland (Avi) has decided to continue the restrictions and closures of public spaces in Uusimaa, to which Helsinki belongs, for at least another two weeks. The Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS) has the worst Covid situation in Finland due to the explosive spread of the Omicron variant.
The current closure decision was in effect until Monday, January 10th. but the restrictions will now continue until at least 24.1.
The separate restriction of indoor events in the Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) hospital districts also continues. The current decision is valid from 17.1. and Avi said on Wednesday that it will “probably” be extended for two more weeks, i.e. 31.1. until.
The decisions were made in accordance with the recommendations of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Coronavirus Coordination Group, which includes officials from the cities of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa, the National Institute for Health and Welfare + (THL) and the HUS Hospital District.
The current closure decisions have been extended to all holdings referred to in section 58g of the Communicable Diseases Act. Closures include group exercise and other local activities, such as gyms, indoor playgrounds, spas, swimming pools and dance venues, as well as public areas in shopping malls.
According to Avin, the restrictions cannot be relaxed because the worsening pandemic threatens the carrying capacity of the health care system. In the metropolitan area, tracing of infection chains has been abandoned and Covid testing has been severely congested.
Closures in Häme, Pirkanmaa and Lapland
The premises have also been ordered to be temporarily closed in the regions of Kanta-Häme and Päijät-Häme in southern Central Finland, including the cities of Hämeenlinna and Lahti. In addition, all hospital districts in Southern Finland have assembly restrictions.
Earlier this week, the coronavirus coordination groups in both the Helsinki metropolitan area and Uusimaa requested a two-week ban on the closure of public interiors and public premises from Avi of Southern Finland.
Health officials said earlier in a press conference on Wednesday that there are no signs of improvement on the horizon, at least in the coming weeks.
Helsinki announced earlier on Wednesday that it will increase its efficiency degree of readinessmeasures such as the opening of a back-up hospital.
At the same time, Avi of Western and Inner Finland said on Wednesday that it would announce new restrictions on the Pirkanmaa region, to which the city of Tampere belongs, on Friday. Measures for gatherings and closures cover the period from 8 to 21 January.
The Lapland Regional Government Agency is also considering the current, 22.1. the extension and possible tightening of existing restrictions.