Temporary restrictions on use of COVID-19 passport to enter into force in East Savo and North Karelia
The Government has issued a decree amending section 58i of the Communicable Diseases Act to temporarily restrict the use of the COVID-19 passport. The COVID-19 passport cannot be used as an alternative to regional restrictions on public events and customer premises in the hospital districts of East Savo and North Karelia.
The amendment to the decree will enter into force on Friday 31 December 2021 at 00.00.
By virtue of the decree, the effects of the COVID-19 passport will be temporarily restricted between 30 December 2021 and 20 January 2022, when it cannot be used as an alternative to regional restrictions on certain public events and customer premises.
The decree will apply to all public events and customer premises that are subject to existing restrictions. Regional authorities will decide what restrictions are in place in their areas. Any questions on the restrictions should be directed to the Regional State Administrative Agencies. They also supervise compliance with the restrictions.
The derogation to the use of the COVID-19 passport will apply to the areas of the hospital districts that meet the characteristics of community transmission areas. These include the following hospital districts: Helsinki and Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, Satakunta, Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa, Päijät-Häme, Kymenlaakso, South Karelia, North Karelia, South Savo, East Savo, North Savo, Central Finland, Vaasa, South Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, North Ostrobothnia, Länsi-Pohja and Lapland.
This temporary regulation, necessitated by the exceptional epidemiological situation, will help in safeguarding people’s right to health and wellbeing by curbing the rapid spread of the disease. Improving the vaccination coverage is the most significant means of curbing the epidemic effectively.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health instructs the Regional State Administrative Agencies to examine the restrictions on public events and customer premises in their areas of operation, especially as concerns low-risk events.
Correction 30.12.2021 15:40: the tittle and caption of the press release mistakenly stated that the restrictions on the use of covid-19 passport will enter into force in South Savo hospital district on Thursday 31.12.2021. The restrictions will enter into force in East Savo hospital district on Friday 31.12.2021. The restrictions are already in place in South Savo hospital district.
Inquiries
Jaska Siikavirta, Director, [email protected]
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Technical user support questions related to the reader app COVID-19 info, tel. +358 295 535 535
- Frequently asked questions and answers regarding the COVID-19 passport, and instructions on how to download the COVID-19 passport, or the EU Digital COVID Certificate, from the My Kanta Pages (kanta.fi)
- Frequently asked questions and answers for operators on COVID-19, the related restrictions and the COVID-19 passport (avi.fi)
- Information and frequently asked questions and answers on the COVID certificate reader, or the COVID-19 passport reader app (thl.fi)
- General information on the COVID-19 passport (stm.fi)