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Covid-19

The epidemic situation will be increasingly monitored on the basis of hospital care

The coronavirus situation in Ostrobothnia continues to be challenging. Infections have been widespread all over the region and exposure to the virus can happen anywhere at the moment.

Due to the difficult situation, the tracing of infections has been reduced. Corona home tests are now recommended. The epidemic situation in Ostrobothnia is no longer monitored on the basis of daily infection rates, but attention is increasingly shifting to healthcare capacity and the number of hospitalised patients.

Daily reporting of coronavirus indicators has been abandoned in Ostrobothnia

The Wellbeing Services County of Ostrobothnia has decided to stop reporting daily coronavirus indicators after Sunday, 16 January, 2022. Previously, the daily snapshot of the current situation reported cases of coronavirus infection, number of tests taken, and the regional incidence rate. However, these figures no longer reflect the epidemic situation in the region, as cases found in home tests do not appear in official statistics. At present, coronavirus tests in healthcare services are performed only on a limited target group.

In the future, the epidemic situation will be reported in connection with the media releases of the Ostrobothnia Corona Coordination Group. The coronavirus situation is also announced on the website, through social media and in media releases as needed. Changes in the situation will be announced immediately.

Changes to quarantine recommendations

There have also been changes to quarantine recommendations over the past week. The quarantine recommendations for the Wellbeing Services County of Ostrobothnia follow  new guidelines from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

The length of quarantine after exposure is now basically five days, which also applies to family exposures. In family exposures until now, an asymptomatic person must start a new quarantine if a new family member becomes ill. With the exception of family quarantines, social welfare and healthcare personnel have their own quarantine instructions, says the Chief Physician of the Wellbeing Services County of Ostrobothnia, Peter Nieminen.

Continuation of telework and face mask recommendations, the recommendation to suspend adult exercise activities remains

The Ostrobothnia Corona Coordination Group, at its meeting on Tuesday 18 January, decided to continue the telework and face mask recommendations already in force. The recommendations will continue until 28 February.

In addition, the Ostrobothnia Corona Coordination Group still recommends that no group hobby activities be arranged for adults. The group also continues to recommend that adults keep contacts outside their own family to a minimum.

We now need recommendations and restrictions, because tracing will not work in this situation as it did before. Reducing social contacts is, in addition to vaccinations, a means we can maintain to ensure the carrying capacity of social welfare and healthcare services, says the Director of the Wellbeing Services County of Ostrobothnia, Marina Kinnunen.

The situation will be reassessed on Tuesday 25 January, when the Ostrobothnia Corona Coordination Group meet again. If necessary, the group will meet earlier.

Meeting participants:

Marina Kinnunen, Wellbeing Services County of Ostrobothnia (ÖVPH), chairperson, Peter Nieminen, ÖVPH, Marjo Orava, ÖVPH, Heikki Kaukoranta, ÖVPH, Peter Riddar, HYKY, Satu Kärki, ÖVPH, Britt-Marie Bjon, ÖVPH, Sofia Svarsjö, ÖVPH , Tomas Häyry, Vaasa, Gun Kapténs, Luoto (Larsmo), Mikaela Björklund, Närpiö (Närpes), Christina Knookala, Vaasa, Denice Vesterback, Mustasaari, Rolf Sundqvist, Pedersöre, Eeva Mäkinen, AVI, Dinah Arifullah, THL, Tuula Hannila-Handelberg, THL, Timo Saari, ELY, Petra Fager, ÖVPH, public relations,  Elina Kurtti ÖVPH, public relations, Päivi Berg, ÖVPH, secretary.

Role and composition of the Ostrobothnia Regional Corona Coordination Group

The task of the group is to plan and implement measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in its region. The use of recommendations and restrictive measures requires a comprehensive assessment in which decisions are made and weighed in terms of epidemiological, social and economic impacts and in relation to fundamental rights.