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face mask
A strong mask recommendation is still valid in South Karelia.

Eksote informs: The coronavirus is slowly decreasing in South Karelia, despite the hospital load

Release
26.4.2022 18:34
The remote work and remote meeting recommendation continues until mid-May. The mask recommendation ends, but those who belong to risk groups should still wear a mask indoors.

South Karelia's regional COVID-19 situational group met on April 26.4.2022, 2 and stated that South Karelia's omikron BA.XNUMX phase is still continuing, but signs of its reduction can already be seen. A slight decrease is also visible in the reporting of wastewater monitoring.

─ There are quite a lot of patients in the hospital, most of them are elderly and have multiple illnesses. There are also elderly corona patients in the intensive care unit, some of whom are very sick, states the chief infectious disease doctor Pekka Suomalainen.

─ Some elderly people admitted to the intensive care unit have missed the necessary 4th and 3rd vaccinations. Now it would be very important for people over 80 to go and get the necessary vaccination coverage. Here, I also hope that my relatives will support and help me.  

The situation in the area's schools and educational institutions is calm regarding the epidemic, and the schools are hoping for a return to normal.

There are still corona infections in nursing homes and social security staff are getting sick quite often. There are few secondary infections in the workplace

Along with the corona virus, there has been some A-influenza in the population, the number of influenza discoveries has started to rise after the lifting of the restrictions related to the corona.

The mask recommendation is removed, but continues in hospitals, nursing homes and health care units

Mask recommendations are getting lighter all over Finland. In South Karelia, the recommendation has been valid in all public indoor spaces, but there is no longer any reason to continue it, since the national recommendation of the Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) has been removed.

─ However, the use of a mask is recommended for all persons belonging to risk groups when they move around in public indoor spaces, states Tuula Karhula, chairman of the snapshot group.    

─ In all social and health care units in Eksoten, the universal masking practice is in force, meaning that a face mask must be worn there to protect patients and customers from getting sick, adds Marjo Numminen, director of the South Karelia Central Hospital.

Everyone can, at their own discretion, continue to use a mask, for example, in such indoor spaces where it is difficult to avoid close contact. 

If you are symptomatic or in public indoor spaces and on means of transport, when you seek treatment or a test due to suspected corona, you must continue to wear a mask.

Senior physician Sami Raasakka states in his overview of the epidemic situation that the epidemic situation has turned to a slight decline.

─ We are going in a slightly easier direction and the feeling is cautiously positive at the moment. The coming weeks will show how the situation develops. The rise in infection rates among the elderly is of course somewhat worrying, as is the number of patients in the hospital, which has not started to decrease, on the contrary.

─ It is estimated that a good third of the residents of the area have been infected and have contracted the corona disease so far. The number is not exact because many have contracted the disease with little or no symptoms at home.

In week 16 (18. ─ 24.4), a total of 1119 corona positives were found and the incidence rate for the 14th day was 1908,6 per 100 inhabitants.

The fourth round of vaccinations for people over 80 years old and those covered by nursing home services is underway. Vaccination information can be found Exote from the website.

In the region, a remote working and remote meeting recommendation is valid until mid-May, according to the employers' situational consideration.

The situation group will meet next time on Tuesday, May 17.5.

 

More information for the media:
Tuula Karhula, chairman of the snapshot group, tel. 040 194 4936, wind.bearatexote.fi (tuula[dot]karhula[at]eksote[dot]fi)

 

New instructions for mask use

The mask should be used in the following situations:

  • persons who apply for treatment or a test due to suspected corona
  • persons with symptoms of a respiratory infection, but movement outside the home is necessary
  • persons who know they have been exposed to the coronavirus (for example, infections have been found in the family) and close contacts outside the home are unavoidable
  • for customers, patients and visitors applying for social and healthcare services, as well as for staff in accordance with the instructions of the body responsible for the activity.