Eksote informs: South Karelia has entered the spreading phase - recommendations and regulations are getting stricter

South Karelia's regional COVID-19 situational group stated in the extra meeting organized on February 25.2.2021, XNUMX: The coronavirus epidemic is in the spreading phase in the South Karelia region. The three phases of an epidemic are the base level, the acceleration phase and the spreading phase.

The 24.2.2021-person gathering limit set by the Regional Administration Office (AVI) on 20 February XNUMX is currently in force, which means all indoor and outdoor events. AVI will presumably make a decision on the gathering limit of six people in the next few days. The regional situational group immediately puts into effect a gathering limit of six individuals and states that institutions must also now be recommended to switch to remote meetings only. All gatherings and close contacts outside the home should be avoided whenever possible.

The situation picture group hopes that South Karelia will carefully follow the instructions, recommendations and restrictions on corona prevention.

The decision was made in the situational group to move to the spreading phase, as the incidence rate in the area is growing rapidly and so is the proportion of positive samples out of all corona samples taken. The prevalence of the mutation virus in South Karelia has turned out to be remarkably high this week. There is currently no increased need for hospital care in the Eksote region, but based on the numbers that serve as a measure, one must prepare in advance for the adequacy of hospital care. Infection tracking in the Eksote area is successful so far. With the actions being taken now, we want to secure the ability to track infections in the future.

- The restrictive measures are an investment in securing Eksoten's healthcare system and securing the health of the people of South Karelia, the chairman of the situation picture group clarifies the decision Tuula Karhula.
- Eksote's duty is to act so that citizens' lives are as safe as possible, because we are currently living in a very risky situation, continues Karhula.

During the spreading phase, the recommendations become stricter

The situation picture group will put the six-person gathering restriction on private individuals into effect immediately, the regional administrative agency's decisions are expected to come in early March. Other articles and recommendations will enter into force as soon as the authorities make their decisions.

The situation picture group has decided to update the valid recommendations to reflect the current situation. The new, stricter recommendations and restrictions will be put into effect at the beginning of March, when they will be announced. For the time being, the recommendations and restrictions of the acceleration phase that were previously put into effect are valid. Due to the deteriorating situation, it is hoped that people will take the recommendations already in force seriously.

- The effectiveness of the recommendations depends entirely on people's desire to follow them. The more aggressively we prevent infections together, the more effective the recommendations are and the less need there is to make them stricter. The coronavirus is an infectious disease. When you meet fewer people, you take care of a safety distance of more than two meters everywhere, and in addition to these actions you wear a mask and wash your hands, you have already done a lot, advises Karhula.
- The recommendations are made so that the worst of the infections can be reduced even in South Karelia. I now present my request to the residents of the area: the more obedient we are, the faster we will be closer to the situation we have come to understand as normal, continues Karhula.