Finland: No changes to areas where restaurants are closed to customers

NordenBladet — Restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses are closed to customers in areas where the COVID-19 epidemic situation is the most serious. The areas where such establishments will remain closed are laid down in a government decree, which will remain in force until 28 March 2021. The National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) issued a statement on the epidemic situation in the regions on 17 March 2021. On the basis of this statement, the Government does not propose amendments to the decree.

The Government regularly monitors the development of the epidemic situation in different regions. Under the act, the Government must amend the decree if a closure in a region is no longer necessary. Similarly, the decree will be amended if the epidemic situation in a region deteriorates.
As per the decree of 8 March 2021, food and beverage service businesses must be closed to customers in the following regions:
1.    Uusimaa
2.    Southwest Finland
3.    Satakunta
4.    Kanta-Häme
5.    Pirkanmaa
6.    Päijät-Häme
7.    Kymenlaakso
8.    South Karelia
9.    South Savo
10.    Central Finland
11.    South Ostrobothnia
12.    Ostrobothnia
13.    Northern Ostrobothnia
14.    Lapland
15.    Åland

The following areas are excluded from the closure: North Karelia, Central Ostrobothnia, Kainuu and North Savo. Food and beverage service businesses in these areas must comply with the restrictions laid down in the Communicable Diseases Act and in the regulations issued under it. The same applies to all food and beverage service businesses in Finland after the closure ends. The Government Proposal to temporarily amend the Communicable Diseases Act is currently under consideration by Parliament.  Based on this, stricter restrictions on the opening hours, licensing hours and the number of customer seats of food and beverage service businesses could be laid down.