Travel to Finland only allowed for work starting September 28

Ship arriving in Tallinn Bay.
Ship arriving in Tallinn Bay. Source: Siim Lõvi /ERR

Starting on September 28, quarantine-free travel to Finland from Estonia is only allowed for people travelling for work, everyone else is still subject to the 14-day quarantine period when entering the country, Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) told ERR on Monday.

Infection indicators in Estonia and Finland differ largely, which is why further changes regarding travel to Finland are expected. According to Reinsalu, the current new case rate per 100,000 inhabitants (30.85) over the last 14 days is confirmed and the new regulation will be put into force starting Monday, September 28.

Reinsalu told ERR: "This new order will see that firstly, people who work in Finland can still go to Finland without quarantine or any restrictions. Everyone else can aslo travel to Finland, but regular travellers and tourists are obligated to self-isolate for 14 days and that could also be checked."

The same regulation goes for Finnish residents who occasionally come to Estonia and then wish to return to Finland. "It will certainly affect tourism negatively," Reinsalu added.

In October, Finland is planning to establish a system where testing can be used to bypass the two-week quarantine period, but details on the system are still being drawn up.

Finland has not yet announced the aforementioned order.

Estonia's infection rate per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days is 30.85, as of Monday, September 21. Finland's neighbors Sweden and Norway have also exceeded the 25 per 100,000 limit and are also subject to the regulations.

On September 11, Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) announced that Estonia had increased the coronavirus case limit for travelers from Finland and the Baltics to 25 per 100,000 inhabitants, beyond which quarantine is required upon arrival in Estonia.

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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste

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