Definition of close contact to be removed from the Communicable Diseases Act

The Government proposes that the amendment to the temporary section 58 d of the Communicable Diseases Act be approved. The section regulates the conditions for using premises intended for customers and event participants to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The exact definition of close contact will be removed, along with the incidence rate used as a criterion for its application.

The amendment does not change the rights and obligations of the authorities to make decisions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 if the situation so requires. The municipal bodies responsible for controlling communicable diseases or the Regional State Administrative Agencies may make decisions on the conditions for using premises located in their area if there are significant disease clusters in the municipality or the hospital district, if contact tracing is no longer efficient, and if an expert assessment indicates that the cluster poses a significant risk of wide-scale spreading of new infections in the area.

The President of the Republic is to approve the amendment on Friday 8 October 2021, and it will enter into force on 11 October 2021.

Inquiries:

Taneli Puumalainen, Director General, [email protected]
Maija Neva, Lawyer, [email protected]