Finland News Round-up no. 4
Helsingin Sanomat: Changes to Coronavirus Guidelines in Effect Monday
27.2.2021: The Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland (AVI) has ordered that stricter restrictions on the use of public and private facilities will take effect on Monday.
Among other restrictions, remote learning expansion and restaurant closures were announced. The restrictions will be in place for at least two weeks, until 14 March.
The decision does not apply to all municipalities in Uusimaa; only Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Järvenpää, Kauniainen, Kerava, Kirkkonummi, Tuusula and Sipoo are affected. The restriction does not currently apply to facilities with a maximum capacity of ten or fewer customers.
Finnish Meteorological Institute: AI Predicts Destructive Potential of Storms
24.2.2021: A collaboration between Aalto University and Finnish Meteorological Institute has improved prediction tools for energy companies. The technology developed would enable scientists to predict the location and degree of potential damage caused by a coming storm.
YLE: Sand from the Sahara Lands in Finland
23.2.2021: Meteorologist Anniina Valtonen of the Finnish Meteorological Institute identified sand found in the south of Finland as carried from the sub-Saharan desert region through air currents in the upper atmosphere.
THL: Amendments to the Communicable Disease Act Allow Tighter COVID-19 Regulations
23.2.2021: Amendments to the Communicable Disease Act which came into effect Monday, 22 February strengthened the ability of local and regional authorities to take measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Regional restrictions may now be imposed on business and leisure activities when it is necessary to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The amendments allow for increasing restrictions to be enacted should the coronavirus move to the ‘community transmission’ phases.
You can read more about the regulations in place near you here.
European Commission: The European Commission Reports an Uptick in Inflation in Finland
The rate of inflation in Finland has risen after remaining low throughout 2020. According to the European Commission, Finland's annual inflation rate rose to 1.2% in February.
The inflation rate indicates the rate at which the price of goods and services changes over time. A tax hike that took effect in Finland in early 2021, which increased the cost of things like alcohol and tobacco, may have contributed to the rise in inflation.