Grounds for restaurant lockdown re-examined after Easter

Restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses must remain closed to customers until 18 April 2021 in regions where it is necessary to stop the escalation of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Grounds for lockdown examined weekly

The Government will amend the decree and impose and lift closure restrictions in line with the development of the epidemiological situation in any given region or area. 
 
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare will submit a statement on possible changes to the areas falling under the restaurant lockdown to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment on Wednesday 7 April. In the statement, the Institute will state its opinion on the updated assessments of the regions’ epidemiological situation provided by regional coordination groups. Updated regional assessments will probably be made on Tuesday 6 April. 
 
An amended decree will be issued on Thursday 8 April if the closing of restaurants is no longer deemed necessary in any given region or if the epidemiological situation has become more serious in any given region. In a region where the epidemiological situation has improved and the closing of restaurants is no longer necessary, the amended decree ending the lockdown would be applicable as of Friday 9 April. Possible new lockdown requirements would enter into force on Monday 12 April at 00.00. This would apply only in a situation where, based on health authorities’ statement, the epidemiological situation is considered to have seriously deteriorated and lockdown essential to stop the acceleration of the epidemic. 

Inquiries:
Liisa Huhtala, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 062 
Piia Rekilä, Special Adviser to the Minister of Employment, tel. +358 50 396 3574