Coronavirus Hus puts tough restrictions on Uusimaa – Want to close gyms, swimming pools and indoor playgrounds

Hus impose tough additional restrictions on Uusimaa. The matter is clear from Hus’s statement, which the hospital district sent to the Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland on Monday. HS obtained the statement through a request for information.

HUS submits that restrictions are imposed on Uusimaa under section 58g of the Communicable Diseases Act, which prohibits the opening of the premises mentioned in that section for a period of three weeks. Hus also considers it necessary that the maximum number of participants allowed at public events be reduced to 10 people.

According to Hus, the restrictions should be enforced as soon as possible, and no later than Christmas.

Infectious Diseases Act Article 58g applies, inter alia, to facilities for team sports, group sports, contact sports and other similar sports, as well as to gyms and other similar indoor sports facilities.

Hus also proposes to close public saunas, swimming pools, spas, dance venues, choir and amateur theater facilities, indoor playgrounds and venues, as well as public lounges in shopping malls. The ban does not apply to business premises or premises used for the provision of services.

Husin vs. Chief Medical Officer Jari Petäjä notes that due to the rapidly changing corona situation, Hus has issued an opinion to the Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland without first discussing the matter with the regional corona coordination groups. The groups will meet later this week.

Petäjä states that Hus’s statement is in line with the statements of several other university hospitals. Petäjä emphasizes that severe restrictions would not be recommended unless the carrying capacity of health care is seriously threatened.

For this reason, he also says it considers it necessary for the country’s government to impose restrictions on restaurants as well.

The line also applies to the corona passport.

“On several occasions, we have also pointed out that the corona passport should be put on hold,” says Petäjä.

However, he emphasizes that this would be a break for the corona passport. As vaccination coverage for third vaccinations becomes wider, Hus could, in his view, return to extensive passport use.

Coricavirus omicron transformation has also been shown to pass reasonably well with vaccine protection in twice-vaccinated individuals. According to Petja, this justifies the view that the corona passport is currently not a sufficient way to keep the number of infections at a level that is sustainable for hospital care.

“The corona passport has temporarily lost its functionality.”

Although The number of coronary infections in Uusimaa is currently growing sharply, and the need for hospital or intensive care has not yet reached record levels. On Friday, there were 57 patients in hospital care in the Hus area and 14 patients in intensive care. The worst situation at Hus hospitals was in April 2020, when there were 80 patients in the wards and 43 people in the intensive care unit.

Read more: Hus: The need for hospital care can double quickly – “It’s a huge number of patients if the scenarios materialize,” says Husin Lehtonen

However, Hus has predicted that the need may even double in the near future.

Petäjä points out that the carrying capacity of healthcare is threatened not only by an increase in the number of patients but also by another due to the rapid spread of the omicron transformation. The spread of the virus among caregivers asymptomatic or asymptomatic can quickly strike a drastic impact on the number of staff. Quarantines caused by infections in families, for example, can also reduce the number of able-bodied nurses and doctors.

Uusimaa regional corona coordination groups will meet later this week to discuss the changed corona situation. The Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland will make decisions on new restrictions after Christmas at the latest. However, faster decisions are also possible.

The news is being updated.