Finland may raise COVID-19 quarantine rate to 25 per 100,000 from next week
Finland is expected to more than triple its coronavirus rate ceiling, beyond which arrivals in the country must self-quarantine, from next week. The move would mean those traveling from Estonia to Finland would not have to quarantine on arrival, as things stand, and follows European Commission proposal to raise the rate.
Finland's rate had been 8 coronavirus cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past 14 days. Arrivals from countries with a rate higher than that, which is nearly all European countries, had to quarantine for two weeks on arrival in Finland, under the current regime.
Estonia, like many other European countries, had a ceiling of 16 per 100,000, but Finland will now leapfrog that with its new planned rate of 25 infections per 100,000 residents, Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomant (HS) reports (link in Finnish).
Estonia's current rate is 20.7 per 100,000; Sweden's is currently just below the limit, at 24.5 per 100,000.
The European Commission has proposed raising the rate to 25-50 COVID-19 cases per 100,000, though the European Parliament has to approve this.
While the Finnish government approved the limit in principle Wednesday evening, it is not finalized and could be subject to change.
The new limit, if it comes into effect, would do so from next week and remain in force for six months.
Those arriving in Finland from countries with rates above 25 per 100,000 would need to present proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test before boarding a ship or plane in the country of departure to avoid quarantine, though this measure is likely not to be in place till later this month at the earliest, the Finnish transport ministry told ERR earlier in the week.
Should Estonia's rate exceed the 25 per 100,000 ceiling, exemptions for those traveling for work to Finland from Estonia may be made.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
