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The Finland Ministry of Social Affairs and Health announced this week the amendments to the Communicable Diseases Act have been approved, which allows local and regional authorities to take proactive and swift measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Most of the amendments will remain in force until 30 June 2021.
Photo/Nodar Kherkheulidze via wikimedia commons
Under the amended Act, the authorities may introduce regional restrictions on business and leisure activities when this is necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic. Any obligations and restrictions will thus be based on avoiding physical contact between people.
Stricter measures to be introduced gradually when the COVID-19 epidemic accelerates
They give new powers to regional authorities, meaning that they are now able to enforce tighter restrictions on businesses and leisure activities, including the ability to force venues to close for up to two weeks.
The amended law also gives regional authorities the power to reduce the permitted capacity of public transport and makes it easier to test passengers arriving at Finnish ports and airports for the virus.
The powers given to the authorities vary by region and are guided by THL s assessment of the coronavirus pandemic in each hospital district.
What are the rules?
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) divides areas into three categories depending on coronavirus infection rates. They are base level (the lowest rate of infection), acceleration stage (meaning the rate of infection is rising) and spreading stage (the highest rate of infection).
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