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Eksote informs: South Karelia in the acceleration phase - new visiting instructions for care units
This week, new regulations of the Regional Administration Office (AVI) and recommendations set by the Eksote situational group were issued in South Karelia, in addition to the previously valid ones. AVI's regulations entered into force today, December 3.12.2020, 20 and are valid until the end of the year. The 10-person gathering limit set by the Regional Administration Office is in effect, which means all indoor and outdoor events, including recreational activities. The regional situational group has previously imposed a gathering limit of XNUMX individuals.
The situation picture group hopes that South Karelia will carefully follow the instructions, recommendations and restrictions on corona prevention.
- The working group would like to thank the people of South Karelia for their attitude towards the matter. Events have been canceled in accordance with the instructions and the use of masks has increased, praises the chairman of the regional situation group Tuula Karhula.
- It is hoped that the regional recommendations will also be taken into account in the operations of all companies and associations. Many have already paid attention to it, emphasizes Karhula.
Acceleration phase
South Karelia has moved into the acceleration phase of the epidemic situation on 1.12.2020 December XNUMX. Chief physician of the Institute of Health and Welfare Taneli Puumalainen made the decision at the South Karelia Covid-19 situation picture working group meeting and the reasons for the transfer from the basic level to the acceleration phase are clear.
The trend in the number of infections is rising and more and more older people are getting sick. Now there are as many infected people in their 60s and 70s as there are in their 30s and 40s, while in October there were clearly fewer of them. The two-week occurrence rate is now 29,1 in South Karelia. At the basic level, the number should be below 25. Positive samples are about 1,5 percent of those tested. The basic level should be less than 1 percent.
Visits to hospitals are prohibited, visits to housing units are requested to be avoided
The social and health district of South Karelia (Eksote) prohibits visits to its hospitals and short-term bed wards due to the accelerated corona situation. The ban on visitors comes into force on Friday 4.12.2020 December XNUMX. The ban applies to the wards of South Karelia Central Hospital, Honkaharju, Armila, Savitaipale, Taipalsaari and Parikkala.
However, the ban does not apply to visitors of critically ill patients and hospice patients. Children can be visited by a family member, and during childbirth and after care, the visitors can be a family member or a support person. Grandparents are not allowed to visit.
Eksote also asks to avoid visits to housing units. In the case of necessary visits to the housing units, the visits must be agreed in advance with the staff of the Housing Unit. Visitors may not come to Eksote's housing units if they are sick or if they suspect they have been exposed to the coronavirus. During the visits, safety intervals must be observed and only 1-2 visitors can arrive for the visit at a time and the visit can last no more than 15 minutes. The visitor must observe good hand hygiene and use a surgical mouth-nose mask during the visit. The instructions given in hospice situations can be deviated from on a case-by-case basis by separate agreement with the staff.
Visiting instructions will also be updated on Eksoten's website after they are completed: http://www.eksote.fi/Koronavirus/asiointijavierailu/
Those visiting elderly people living at home must also be healthy and aware that they have not been exposed to corona infection.
The mask recommendation extends to school rides
A mask recommendation is now also given for school transport. Eksoten's pediatricians recommend masks to everyone who knows and is able to use masks. Even a small child can learn the instructions related to using a mask when an adult clearly teaches how to use a mask.
- The use of masks makes sense whenever groups mix and there are close contacts, reminds Eksoten's chief doctor of outpatient healthcare Minna Häyhä.
The phase of the current epidemic in South Karelia is determined by the infectious disease authorities together with the region's COVID-19 situational picture group. South Karelia's COVID-19 snapshot group includes representatives from South Karelia's social and health district, municipalities, the Department of Health and Welfare, the regional administration agency and the ELY center. In addition to the number and growth of infections, defining the stage of the epidemic is also influenced by, for example, the ability to explain the chains of infection and whether the infections originate from one's own area or from elsewhere. The epidemic situation can change quickly locally or regionally, even if the national situation is calm. The regional COVID-19 situation picture group meets weekly or more often if necessary.
More information for the media:
Tuula Karhula, chairman of the snapshot group, director of health and elderly services, Eksote, tel. 040 194 4936, wind.bear
exote.fi (tuula[dot]karhula[at]eksote[dot]fi)
Kristiina Kapulainen, secretary of the situation picture group, safety and preparedness manager, Eksote, phone 040 651 1791, kristiina. kapulainenexote.fi (kristiina[dot]kapulainen[at]eksote[dot]fi)
New and updated recommendations
The situation picture group has decided on 1.12. puts the following recommendations into effect from 3.12 December to 31.12.2020 December 3.12.2020. The recommendations have been supplemented on XNUMX December XNUMX. The recommendations are valid for the authorities, the population, operators and education organizers:
Private events:
A gathering limit of 10 people is valid for private events.
Organization of teaching:
Second-level education is recommended to be moved to distance education from December 7.12.2020, XNUMX, with the exception of face-to-face education deemed necessary by the organizer of the education.
Early childhood education and basic education will continue as before.
Teaching organizers are also given a mask recommendation on school transport. The organizer of the lesson will provide masks for the children and young people who are being transported to school. Other children and young people using public transport get the masks themselves.
Public spaces:
Library events are canceled and lounges, such as newsrooms, are recommended to be closed. Borrowing and returning books continues. You are only allowed to do business in the library for the time necessary for taking care of things, and we ask that you prefer advance reservations. Library customers are strongly advised to wear a mask.
The number of customers in museums and youth facilities is limited to 20 people. Youth activities are recommended to be partially moved online, but youth facilities can be open at the discretion of the municipalities, taking into account the 20-person limit.
Group hobby activities:
Indoor and outdoor group hobby activities for over 20-year-olds are recommended to be suspended in team and contact sports.
Group hobby activities for children and young people can be continued using special consideration, taking into account the limit of 20 people for both indoor and outdoor hobby activities. In group hobby activities, the risks related to the nature of the sport must be taken into account. If the hobby activity is not interrupted, the instructions of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health must be taken into account that participants and accompanying children must be able to avoid close contact with each other.
The aim is to secure the training of professional and competitive athletes in such a way that training can be continued if it is safe and the guidelines regarding gathering restrictions and gatherings can be followed. The audience may be 20 people in a separate stand, but care must be taken to ensure that the audience and the athletes do not meet. Athletes may gather 20 people at a time.
Travel:
Travel between Finland and Russia should be avoided.
It is recommended to avoid all movement to areas in the spreading phase. Movement should be avoided, especially in areas where the coronavirus situation is more difficult than in South Karelia. Travel to northern ski resorts and abroad should be avoided.
Working remotely:
All employers in South Karelia are recommended to organize remote work in all tasks where it is even temporarily possible. If remote work is not possible, it is recommended that the employer instructs the use of a face mask in all workplaces, even if keeping safety distances is possible. Meals and coffee breaks should be staggered. Business and official trips and local training events are not recommended.
Mask recommendation:
The mask recommendation is valid in public transport, including school rides and taxi drivers and passengers.
Otherwise, the mask recommendation for the acceleration phase is valid in accordance with THL's instructions in the following situations and for the following persons:
• Persons applying for a coronavirus test on the way to sample collection and before the test result is ready, if there is a necessary reason to move outside the home
• Travelers arriving in Finland from a risk area when they move from the point of entry to quarantine or if they have a necessary reason to move outside their home during quarantine.
• In secondary educational institutions (including upper secondary schools) and universities.
• In public indoor spaces and public events (Shops and shopping centers, post offices, banks, libraries and other similar indoor spaces / Spaces used for exercise or sports and their monitoring (at least public spaces and changing rooms) / Swimming pools, spas and saunas (public spaces and changing spaces) / Churches and other premises of religious communities / Concert halls and other premises used for the performance of live music / Cinemas and other premises used for the presentation of films and other similar audiovisual works / Museums and galleries / Amusement and theme parks and attractions if indoor / Facilities used for gambling and betting services)
Customer service points must be equipped with protective plexes. For those working in customer service, the employer must distribute masks or protective visors to employees who have to work less than 1,5 meters away from other people.
Proceedings:
It is not recommended to organize events. During the acceleration phase, events of less than 20 people can be organized, if you are able to follow the instructions of the Department of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education and Culture regarding safe distances and hygiene practices with absolute precision and in all respects.
Additional information for event organizers on the website of the Regional Administration Office: http://www.avi.fi/web/avi/usein-kysytyt-kysymykset
Instructions on preventing coronavirus infections in connection with public events and general gatherings and when using public facilities: http://www.avi.fi/documents/10191/17217812/OKM-THL_Ohje+yleis%C3%B6tilaisuuksiin+yleisiin+kokoontumisiin+ja+julkisten+tilojen+k%C3%A4yt%C3%B6ss%C3%A4_FI.pdf/6562b3bd-1698-4c24-9223-77b8afd0b81e
The situation in the rest of Finland and the restrictions and recommendations valid in the regions of other hospital districts can be seen on the website of the Institute of Health and Welfare under the section Situation of regions. The link to the page can also be found on Eksoten's page www.eksote.fi/koronavirus
