Restrictions during the coronavirus epidemic

The best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 is by avoiding contact with others. Follow the guidelines on good hygiene and keep a safe distance from others.
 
If you meet with other people

• keep a safe distance,
• don’t shake hands.

Maintain good hygiene

• Wash your hands often with water and soap. Make sure you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
• Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth unless you have just washed your hands.
• Use a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve, not your hand.

Wear a mask while you are in places with other people.

• Masks prevent droplets from spreading. When you wear a mask, you help protect others from infection. 
• Wearing a mask is recommended even if you have already had COVID-19. 

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• Recommendation on the use of face masks for citizens – thl.fi
• Transmission and protection – coronavirus – thl.fi

The authorities in your area may introduce regional restrictions on events and on leisure and business activities when this is necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic. The restrictions may apply to the use of premises or the number of participants in activities, for example.

The guidelines on good hygiene and safe distances are in force throughout the country. Event organisers are responsible for ensuring compliance with the guidelines in practice.

Check the restrictions on events, gatherings and meetings in your area from the website of the Regional State Administrative Agency (in Finnish and Swedish)

Epidemic at a stable level

• General guidelines on safe distances and good hygiene are in force.
• There are no restrictions on the number of participants in public events. Arrangements ensure good hygiene and guidelines for customers. Participants and parties are kept sufficiently far apart.
• Participants are kept sufficiently far apart in public and private customer and business premises.

Acceleration phase of the epidemic

• There are no restrictions on the number of participants in public events. Participants and parties must avoid close contact with others when there are more than 10 people indoors and more than 50 people in enclosed outdoors spaces.
• Private events are subject to the same recommendation as public events.
• The use of public and private customer and business premises may be restricted. Participants and parties must avoid close contact with others when there are more than 10 people indoors and more than 50 people in enclosed outdoors spaces.
• There may be restrictions on the number of passengers in public transport.

Community transmission phase of the epidemic

• The number of participants in public events is limited to 10 people indoors and 50 people in enclosed outdoor spaces. Participants and parties must avoid close contact with others. Outdoor events may be organised for more than 50 people if those attending can be divided into separate blocks.
• Private events are subject to the same recommendation as public events.
• Public and private spaces may be temporarily closed altogether. This applies to spaces with high risk of infection, such as gyms, indoor playgrounds, swimming pools and public spaces in shopping centres.
• There may be restrictions on the number of passengers in public transport.

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• Guidelines for preventing coronavirus infections at public events and gatherings and in the use of certain spaces
• Restrictions on gatherings currently in force and entering into force (available in Finnish and Swedish ) – avi.fi
• Questions and answers: Events and meetings

Group hobbies for children

• There are no restrictions on group hobbies for children under 12 years of age.

Group hobbies for young people

Epidemic at a stable level

• Participants keep sufficient distances to others when indoors.

Acceleration phase of the epidemic

• Participants avoid close contact with others when indoors.

Community transmission phase of the epidemic

The guidelines on organising leisure activities for children and young people primarily apply to indoor group hobbies for 12–18-year-olds. The recommendation is to follow these guidelines in areas where the epidemic is in the community transmission phase:

• The group must always meet in the same composition and a list of attendees must be collected for each session. Competitions, recitals and any other form of activities where groups come into contact with one another must not be organised.
• Parents or other outsiders may not spend time in young people’s leisure activities or changing rooms. Groups must be led by the same teachers, instructors and coaches at each session. 
• All forms of leisure activities must be arranged without close contact between participants, meaning that games and practice matches, for instance, must not be organised. A safe distance of two metres must be maintained between participants in group activities.
• Participants must be given guidelines on good hygiene and instructed on what to do if they have symptoms. Teachers, instructors and coaches must always wear a mask.
• Hobbies may not be organised in groups of more than 10 persons. However, there may be several groups of 10 people in large spaces at the same time if there is no contact between the groups.

Indoor group hobbies for young people may be suspended in areas where the epidemic is in the community transmission phase if it is not possible to follow the guidelines.

Group hobbies for adults 

Epidemic at a stable level

• Arrangements ensure good hygiene and guidelines for customers.
• Participants and parties are kept sufficiently far apart.

Acceleration phase of the epidemic

• Participants must avoid close contact with others when there are more than 10 people indoors and more than 50 people in enclosed outdoors spaces.

Community transmission phase of the epidemic

• Participants must avoid close contact with others.
• The use of outdoor and indoor spaces for group hobbies may be suspended. This applies to spaces with high risk of infection.

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• Reducing the coronavirus risk in sport, physical exercise, and other recreational activities – thl.fi
• Guidance on group leisure activities for children and young people (in Finnish)

In contact teaching and early childhood education and care, the goal should be to reduce the risk of spread and transmission of COVID-19 by complying with the hygiene requirements laid down in the Communicable Diseases Act and by observing the guidelines and recommendations issued by the authorities.

The recommendations will support local actors in seeking the best ways to arrange teaching and early childhood education and care in a safe and well-functioning manner.

The regional restrictions and recommendations in place depend on the phase of the epidemic in the region in question. The best way to find out about education arrangements in your area is by contacting the education provider, most commonly the municipality.

Epidemic at a stable level

• Normal contact teaching

Acceleration phase of the epidemic

• In higher education institutions, education must be arranged so that participants can avoid close contact when there are more than 10 people indoors and more than 50 people in enclosed outdoor spaces.

Community transmission phase of the epidemic

• Close contact must be avoided in higher education and upper secondary education.

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• Recommendation from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education and Culture to providers of education and early childhood education and care during the COVID-19 epidemic (in Finnish)
• Recommendation from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education and Culture to educational institutions and higher education institutions on the prevention of infections during the COVID-19 epidemic (in Finnish)
• Questions and answers: Early childhood education and care
• Questions and answers: Primary and lower secondary education
• Questions and answers: General upper secondary and vocational education and training
• Questions and answers: Higher education

The authorities recommend extensive remote work in both the public and private sectors in all areas where the epidemic is in the acceleration or community transmission phase.

Remote work reduces physical contacts at the workplace and is likely to reduce the number of infections spread while commuting by public transport, for example.

Employers should promote arrangements that reduce close contacts and other risk factors.  

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• Guidelines for remote work – ttl.fi

All restaurants may be open. Restrictions on opening hours and customer numbers will continue to be in place as required by epidemiological situation in the area. The situation will be reviewed on a weekly basis.

Restrictions for restaurants by region

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• Questions and answers about restaurant closures – tem.fi
• Regional State Administrative Agencies’ answers to frequently asked questions about business in the food and beverage service sector (in Finnish)

Finland has placed restrictions on entry from other countries. The restrictions are necessary in order to slow down the spread of the pandemic. 

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs recommends exercising special caution when travelling to the EU and Schengen area. The Ministry also recommends avoiding unnecessary travel to countries outside the EU and Schengen area, except for countries for which the restrictions on entry have been lifted.

Travel to and from Finland

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• Travel and the coronavirus – thl.fi
• Q&A about the effects of COVID-19 on border traffic – raja.fi
• Re-open EU online service