- As of 1 January 2023, the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County is responsible for organising health and social services. The services can be found in the same locations as before.
- The telephone numbers and email addresses for the services will be changed gradually. During the transition period, information on health and social services is also available at espoo.fi.
- You can find up-to-date information on the website of the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County at www.luvn.fi/en.(external link)
Coronavirus Advice in Growth and Learning Sector
Information about how the corona virus affects early childhood education, schools as well as sports, youth and cultural services. Remember to only participate if you are in good health and follow the official guidelines
Day care centres are open.
Only attend early childhood education if you are healthy, also take care of hygiene.
We follow the instructions given by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the Ministry of Education and Culture on how to carry out our work and ensure hygiene during the coronavirus epidemic.
Children and adults must be healthy when entering an early childhood education unit. Our early childhood education units take extremely good care of hand hygiene. Everyone must wash their hands thoroughly at least in the morning when joining the group, when coming indoors, before every meal, after every toilet visit and when going home.
A child who has symptoms of a common cold (e.g. a runny nose, congestion or fever) or other symptoms must stay at home and rest. According to the instructions of the City of Espoo, a child who has fallen ill should avoid contact with people outside their home for at least five days from the onset of symptoms until they have been fever-free and the other symptoms have clearly eased for at least two days. These guidelines apply to both vaccinated and unvaccinated children.
As with other viral infections, the infectiousness of the coronavirus (Covid-19) decreases rapidly after the symptoms have started. Sneezing and coughing may continue for a long period after a recent respiratory tract infection. In these cases, the child can return to early childhood education when they are clearly improving, their symptoms are subsiding and they have the energy to participate in early childhood education activities.
Vasomotor or allergic rhinitis does not prevent a child from attending early childhood education. Further information is available on the Children and coronavirus(external link) web page of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
In Espoo, exposed but asymptomatic children who have not tested positive for the coronavirus can attend early childhood education and school. They must avoid unnecessary contact with others, such as recreational activities and visiting friends, until five days have passed since the exposure. The THL recommendations apply to the whole country, but municipalities can adapt them depending on their disease situation and local isolation practices.
Residents’ parks and club activities
Our residents’ parks have opened and early childhood education clubs have resumed their activities as of 28 February. The indoor areas of the parks will be open to visitors, groups operating in the parks and schoolchildren’s afternoon activities.
When attending clubs and using the indoor areas of the parks, you must comply with safety and hygiene guidelines. You may only participate in activities if you are healthy. If you have symptoms or are ill, you must stay at home.
Masks no longer need to be used at resident parks or clubs. Guardians and staff members can still wear masks on the premises of day care centres and residents’ parks if they wish to do so. We pay attention to effective cleaning of facilities and surfaces. Our aim is to organise all activities in such a way that our facilities do not become overcrowded. We offer everyone a chance to wash their hands or use hand sanitiser.
More information on school and early childhood education and care facilities for rent.
Further information: Quarantines in schools and early childhood education
Only go to school if you are healthy – stay at home if you are ill
Pupils and students may only go to school if they are healthy. More information on what to do if you test positive for coronavirus.
Schools will provide further information on their arrangements
Guardians and students will receive further information on the schools’ arrangements, such as schedules and absence applications, through Wilma. All schools comply with the guidelines of the Finnish National Agency for Education and the THL hygiene recommendations.
Guardians no longer informed of individual coronavirus exposures
Espoo’s schools will no longer inform guardians of individual coronavirus exposures. Guardians may still inform schools if their child has been infected. If it appears that there is a large number of infections in one group or class, the principal will inform guardians of the matter.
Distance learning no longer organised in the capital region
The capital region municipalities have decided to stop organising distance learning because the infectious disease authorities, as a rule, no longer issue isolation decisions based on which distance learning decisions concerning individual pupils are made. Absences related to the coronavirus will be handled by schools in accordance with their normal practices concerning absences.
Decisions on distance learning may still be made, if necessary, if a pupil or their family member belongs to a risk group and in a situation where the city’s infectious disease doctor has made a decision on placing a pupil in isolation. Exceptional teaching arrangements may still be used in basic education if it is necessary for an entire class or classes to switch to distance learning.
With regard to upper secondary schools, these decisions are made, depending on the situation, by the principal, the Executive Superintendent of Upper Secondary and Adult Education or the Director of Swedish Education and Cultural Services in cooperation with the infectious disease authority.
Mask recommendation ends at schools
Pupils and students no longer need to wear masks in basic and upper secondary education. Masks can still be used, and the city will provide masks for pupils, students and staff members.
Our youth centres and Ohjaamotalo will resume their normal operations. Please do not visit our premises if you have any symptoms.
The facilities of the cities of Espoo, Helsinki, Vantaa and Kauniainen can be used for recreational activities in line with the guidelines issued by the coronavirus coordination group for the Helsinki metropolitan area.