The metropolitan area’s coronavirus coordination group decided on a remote work recommendation until 15 October 2021

28.9.2021 13.10
Four people sit around a table with laptops.
Remote work is recommended to continue until 15 October 2021, after which the health-based remote work recommendation in the metropolitan area will expire. After that, the workplaces can move to their own practices. National guidelines are still expected for the mask recommendation. The photo has been taken before the coronavirus pandemic.Photo: Olli Urpela

The metropolitan area’s coronavirus coordination group adheres to the national policy on remote work. Therefore, remote work is recommended to continue until 15 October 2021, after which the health-based remote work recommendation in the metropolitan area will expire. After that, the workplaces can move to their own practices.

National guidelines are still expected for the mask recommendation.

The metropolitan area’s coronavirus coordination group also drew attention to the fact that the circular of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on the renewed hybrid strategy states that the epidemic phases under the previous action plan should continue to be monitored in the regions. The metropolitan area’s coronavirus coordination group stresses that the criteria for the epidemic phases in the previous action plan are outdated and should be updated to be nationally consistent.  

Safe entry to the country and municipal border operations

The cities of Helsinki and Vantaa and HUS have developed a spot check model for health security checks at the borders that complies with the current legal framework.  

In the future, passengers arriving at the border crossing points of Helsinki and Vantaa, i.e. Helsinki-Vantaa airport and Helsinki harbours, will be allocated to different lines according to the type of COVID-19 certificate they are carrying.

For those who have had a full series of vaccinations and those who have had COVID-19 within the last six months, the COVID-19 certificates will be checked only by spot-checks, especially in congested areas. Scarce social and health care resources are directed towards people who present a negative coronavirus test certificate and people who arrive without any certificate at all. Those arriving from low-incidence countries will not be screened at all. 

The metropolitan area’s coronavirus coordination group prepares local decision-making 

The Cities of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, and the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland established the Metropolitan Area coronavirus coordination group on 10 September 2020. In line with a regional operating model devised by Finland’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the group aims to strengthen the formation of a common situational assessment and to coordinate and prepare local and regional measures. 

The group consists of top management from each member organisation and is responsible for the preparation and coordination of decision-making based on a shared assessment of the situation. Each member makes decisions independently, within its own sphere of authority. The group further intensifies the close metropolitan area collaboration that has continued throughout the coronavirus crisis. 

  • Covid
  • Work for Espoo