CURRENT INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTION
- Shutdown measures are necessary to contain the virus. We must all follow the restrictions, says Chief Physician for Infectious Diseases Jutta Peltoniemi.
The coronavirus situation in Turku has become worse. The share of positive test results is growing and the epidemic is clearly accelerating. At the moment, the group with most infections is working-age people. The share of unclear infections (infections where the source is unknown) has increased.
Decisions regarding teaching, public facilities and hobbies
The City of Turku will take the decisions of the Regional State Administrative Agency into account in operations.
In the City of Turku, the decisions apply to grades 7 to 9 of upper comprehensive schools and upper secondary education. These will switch to distance teaching. In upper comprehensive schools, the restrictions caused by clause 58 will apply from Monday 8 March to Sunday 28 March.
The decisions made by the Regional State Administrative Agency also affect museums, youth facilities, libraries and all other public facilities of the City of Turku. Public facilities will remain open with coronavirus precautions and a restricted number of customers, as has been so far.
Coronavirus-safe operating must be secured
In public facilities, the decisions made by the Regional State Administrative Agency on the basis of clause 58 d of the Communicable Diseases Act will apply from Saturday 6 March to Monday 5 April. The clause obligates the City of Turku to ensure coronavirus-safe operating in a way that the users of the facilities have no close contact with each other.
On the basis of this clause, the number of customers allowed in Monitori Market Square and Monitori Skanssi will be limited in accordance with the orders given by the Regional State Administrative Agency. Some services will only be offered as remote services. Further information will follow once practical arrangements in the facilities have been made.
In the City of Turku, clause 58 g will particularly affect the facilities of Sports Services and spaces used for free time group activities. Such facilities have already been mainly closed.
However, these facilities can be used for instructed free time activities of children born in 2008 or later. Coronavirus precautions must be followed. The order will apply from Monday 8 March to Sunday 21 March 2021.
Environmental Health is responsible for monitoring businesses and other actors who possess customer facilities. Such actors have an obligation to present plans in writing on how they will limit contacts in their facilities.
Effects of the decisions of the Regional State Administrative Agency and the worsened coronavirus situation on services
Teaching and education:
Day-care centres continue to operate as normal with the same practices that applied in January and February. Open day care and family clubs are closed between 8 March and 28 March 2021.
Lower comprehensive schools operate as normal with the same practices that applied in January and February.
Upper comprehensive schools will switch to distance teaching from 8 March to 28 March 2021 apart from small groups in preparatory education and special support education. These will continue in contact teaching.
Clubs of lower comprehensive schools operate with coronavirus precautions. Operating of morning and afternoon clubs continues as it did in January and February.
School clubs of upper comprehensive schools are closed between 8 March and 28 March 2021.
Vocational education and training will switch to distance teaching from 8 March to 28 March 2021. Teaching for students who need special support, other essential teaching and competence demonstrations can also be arranged as contact teaching. Workplace-based learning will continue as planned.
Upper secondary schools only offer distance teaching between 3 March and 28 March 2021.
Adult education centres only offer distance teaching this spring.
The matriculation examination tests will be organised in the schedule announced earlier if possible, in accordance with instructions given by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Matriculation Examination Board. Students who are in quarantine but have no symptoms can take part in the matriculation examination tests in accordance with the policies outlined by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Matriculation Examination Board. The final decision on participation is always made by the head of the upper secondary school in collaboration with the infectious disease authority. Students who have symptoms (who are ill) cannot take part in the test. They must seek annulment of the test attempt.
Further information: Coronavirus measures in the Education from 8 March 2021
Free time
Libraries
Libraries continue to offer limited services. Only 10 customers are allowed inside the library facility at the same time. This limitation will apply for two weeks, starting from 8 March. Library visits must be brief. Material can be borrowed by making a reservation and picking the reserved items up at the library.
Youth facilities
Activities in youth facilities will be arranged where it can be done in a coronavirus-safe manner. Activities are reduced – for instance, while activities like cooking are not possible, young people are offered an opportunity to spend time in a safe place.
Museums
Pharmacy Museum and the Qwensel House, Biological Museum, Turku Castle, WAM and Brinkkala Gallery are open to public, but the number of visitors is limited. A maximum of ten visitors can visit museums and the gallery at the same time. Further information and prebooking of museum visits: Visiting museums
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
Concerts of Turku Philharmonic Orchestra are broadcasted as live web emissions until 28 March without audience. Watching the online concerts is free of charge.
Sports facilities
In the City of Turku, all free time group activities for adults taking place indoors remain ceased. Similarly, Sports Services do not arrange group exercise activities outdoors.
An opportunity to practise and compete will be secured for competitive sports and top-level sports as before. This includes practice and competition activities of national team level, Finnish Champion level and 1st division level. Also professional practice and competition activities of individual sports heading for international success will be secured.
Outdoor sports facilities can remain open for independent exercise. Also adults can exercise outdoors and utilise outdoor exercise facilities if safety distances are kept. It is recommended that adults should avoid independent group exercise outdoors.
Free time group activities for children born in 2008 or later continue with coronavirus precautions. Activities involving close contact are not allowed.
Group exercise for children and adolescents born in 2007 or earlier will cease from 8 March to 28 March. The same goes for indoors game and competition activities for children and adolescents aged under 20.
Sports Services will provide more detailed information about practical measures on Friday.
Welfare Division:
You can visit your close ones in units of 24-hour care. Visitors must follow hygiene instructions, wear a mask and keep safety distances as instructed by staff. It is recommended that a maximum of two visitors per resident can visit at the same time. Visits must be agreed in advance with staff.
Visits to wards of Turku City hospital are still banned. Visiting patients who are in palliative care is possible.
The following recommendations apply to everyone:
- Wear a mask.
- Keep a safety distance of over 2 metres.
- Wash and disinfect your hands.
- Cough and sneeze into a single-use tissue or your sleeve.
- Don’t go to work, school or other public spaces when you are ill.
- If you experience symptoms, get tested.
- A maximum of 6 persons can take part in public events and general meetings organised indoors or outdoors.
- Organising private occasions with more than six people is not recommended.
- Travelling must be avoided.
Further information: