HELSINKI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st March, 2021) The government of Finland on Monday declared a state of emergency amid the worsening coronavirus-related epidemiological situation, the government said in a press release.
"The Government, in cooperation with the President of the Republic, has declared a state of emergency in Finland due to COVID-19. In its plenary session on Monday 1 March, the Government declared that the country is in a state of emergency as referred to in ... the Emergency Powers Act. The state of emergency will enter into force immediately," the press release read.
Later in the day, the country's parliament is expected to consider passing legislation that would temporarily allow closing restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses to customers for three weeks - from March 8 to 28. During that time, meals could still be sold to customers for takeaway and delivery.
Last week, the Finnish government introduced a lockdown regime from March 8 to 28. In addition to the existing measures, schools will switch to distant learning.
Finland has registered 58,064 coronavirus cases so far. A total of 6.7 percent of the population have been inoculated.
