Summary: Helsingin Sanomat reports that the government, unions and employers' groups are looking at extending Covid passport requirements into workplaces.

Minister for Family and Basic Services  Krista Kiuru  (SDP) announced earlier this week that preparations for the introduction of  Covid passports in workplaces  is to begin in cooperation with employers' and employee groups.
 Helsingin Sanomat reports , however, that  Raimo Antila , Director General at Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, says that it is not realistic to assume that this step will be taken by the end of this year.
 According to Antila the introduction of workplace Covid passports could be modeled on a proposal to amend the Communicable Diseases Act which will mandate vaccinations for public healthcare personnel working with coronavirus patients. Parliament is due to receive this proposal as early as next week.
 The largest employees' representative, the Confederation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), has serious doubts as to whether a Covid passport could really be required of all employees and in all workplaces, writes Helsingin Sanonat.
 "Requiring coronavirus vaccinations for everyone is an infinitely complex matter when there is a wide variety of types of work, and some is done on site and some remotely. Who in general would assess what are the at-risk sectors?" asked SAK Head of Labour Market Affairs  Karoliina Huovila.
 According to Huovila, a better option could even be for society and national authorities to mandate universal vaccination, rather than making employers take responsibility.
 The union grouping representing highly-educated professionals, Akava, for its part, is in favour of extending the use of the Covid passport to all workplaces on a temporary basis.
 "There's an emergency now, and it looks like the coronavirus situation is getting worse. The burden on healthcare must be prevented and occupational safety must be ensured," Akava's Labour Market Director  Katarina Murto  told the paper.
 The white-collar union confederation STTK of white-collar workers, has yet to take a firm position on the issue, but has expressed its willingness to take part in talks. However, STTK Director  Minna Ahtiainen  pointed to concerns related to fundamental rights and data protection.
 On the employers' side, the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) has long been urging policymakers to negotiate with labour market groups on the legal means to give employers the right to require a Covid passport from employees.
 "Employers already have an obligation to take responsibility for the occupational safety of their employees,"  Ilkka Oksala , Director of EK pointed out.
 Testing to be cut back?
 The tabloid  Iltalehti  notes that while the government said on Tuesday that  the principles of coronavirus testing and tracing  need to be updated. No more detailed information is available yet, but this paper believes that with the current surge in infections, more testing is likely to be needed.
 However  Lasse Lehtonen , Director of Diagnostic Services at Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), told Iltalehti that testing will have to be reduced - and sharply.
 "The state withdrew funding from coronavirus testing. There is no funding in the state budget for coronavirus testing next year," Lehtonen noted.
 HUS' own coronavirus testing budget this year has been 250 million euros. Lehtonen said that it has budgeted 100 million euros for next year's tests.
 "That means halving the number of tests after the turn of the year," pointed out Lehtonen.
 Enough power, but higher prices
 The Swedish-language daily  Hufvudstadsbladet writes  that if power grid and the the electricity market function normally in Europe, there should be no shortage of electricity in Finland this winter.
 The risk of electricity prices remaining high is still likely, though.
 On Monday, the price of electricity in Finland and the Nordic countries was the highest in over ten years. At one point, the price was up to over 400 euros per megawatt hour.
 Finland is still dependent on electricity imports when consumption is high, for example when it is really cold on a weekday when the electricity needs of industry are high.
 "As long as electricity flows to Finland, it works well and right now we need imports. The situation may be different when the third reactor at Olkiluoto is completed," said Fingrid Power Manager  Maarit Uusitalo .
 According to Fingrid's estimate, peak electricity consumption in Finland during the winter may increase to around 15,100 megawatts. If so, imports will be needed not only from Sweden, but also from Russia and from Estonia.
 Updated phone malware warning
 Finland's Cyber Security Center has update a warning to the public about the  FluBot malware campaign  that sends text messages that can infect the devices of Android phone users. The original alert is available  in Engish , the update is in  Finnish .
 Ilta-Sanomat  reports that on Wednesday it began receiving a large number of notifications about text messages purporting to be tracking or missing package notices from the DHL shipping company.
 FluBot is also a threat on iPhones redirecting users to sites that phish for log-in data.
 Capital's shortest bus route
 "When I used to drive this route all day, it numbed me," is how  Urpo Malin  describes sitting behind the wheel on Helsinki's shortest bus route, the number 15 line to the daily  Helsingin Uutiset .
 A metro feeder route of only 1.5 kilometres between Ruoholahti and Salmisaari, the run takes only five minutes end to end.
 Right now, because of lower traffic volumes attributed to more people telecommuting, the route operates on a reduced schedule from 6AM to 9AM and from 3:30PM to 6PM.
 The longest regular bus line within Helsinki is the number 69, wending 24.9 kilometres between Kamppi and Jakomäki, a trip that takes 75 minutes during rush hours.

Thursday's papers: Workplace Covid passport, electricity price spiking, malware warning update


Summary: The poll suggests support for the Greens has fallen.

Opposition parties have had a boost in support compared to November, according to a new poll conducted for Yle.
 The National Coalition Party (NCP) tops the December poll, with pollsters estimating that they get some 21.8 percent of voters' support.
 The last time the NCP polled this well in Yle's survey was in 2017. The jump on November's figures is around one percentage point.
 In second spot is the Finns Party, which pushed the Social Democrats into third spot.
 The Green League is on 10.1 percent, a drop of 1.3 percent on November despite the drawn-out reshuffle following leader Maria Ohisalo's departure for maternity leave which saw new roles for four of their other biggest names.

Yle poll: SDP drops to third spot


Summary: The case involves Facebook posts from May 2020, which targeted immigrants and asylum seekers

The trial of Finns Party MP  Mauri Peltokangas , who has been charged with incitement against a group of people, began at Ostrobothnia District Court on Wednesday.
 Peltokangas, an MP from the Vaasa constituency, is standing trial for Facebook posts from 2020, in which he "slandered and abused" immigrants and asylum seekers, according to the indictment.
 Prosecutors are demanding that Peltokangas be made to pay a minimum of 40 income-linked day-fines as well as a victim charge (generally paid by an offender to fund support services for victims) of 80 euros.
 The prosecution has also called for any offending messages that can still be viewed by the public to be removed immediately.
 According to District Prosecutor  Kosti Kurvinen , Peltokangas used expressions and phrases which strongly suggested that immigrants are "inferior".
 "The posts are likely to create hatred and contempt towards the groups in question," he said, pointing out that Peltokangas could have chosen to use less offensive language.
 MP pleads innocence
 Peltokangas has denied the allegations and is demanding that the charges be dropped. He is also calling for the state to reimburse his legal expenses.
 "The posts contain my opinions. I do not insult or slander anyone. I express hope that those who are officially refused entry by Migri leave Finland. I was merely criticising the actions of those who do not leave, not attacking them personally," he stated in court.
 Kari Uoti ,an aide to Peltokangas, has defended the Facebook posts, claiming that their "playful" language indicates they should not be interpreted as a threat.
 "Political speech can only be restricted on the most compelling, legitimate grounds," he said.
 The district court will determine whether the social media posts constitute a crime as per legal definitions pertaining to incitement to national, racial and religious hatred. The court is expected to issue its ruling on 15 December.
 This is not the first time that Peltokangas, who is a key member of the Finnish far-right nationalist association Suomen Sisu, has courted controversy.
 The MP created a stir last year when he referred to ministers in Prime Minister  Sanna Marin 's (SDP) cabinet as "pathetic assholes" in a Facebook post.
 He is also known for posting videos and statements in which he takes a strong stance against immigration.

Finns Party MP on trial for incitement charges, faces heavy fines


Summary: Jukka Viikilä has become one of the rare two-time winners of the prestigious prize for fiction.

Jukka Viikilä  was awarded the Finlandia Prize for fiction late on Wednesay for his novel  Taivaallinen vastaanotto  (Heavenly Reception), published by the Otava Publishing Company.
 This year's winner was selected from  a shortlist of finalists  by film director  Zaida Bergroth , director of the recent biopic  Tove .
 Viikilä is now one of only three authors to have won the prize twice, having received the award, worth 30,000 euros, for his novel  Akvarelleja Engelin kaupungissa  (Watercolours from the City of Engel) in 2016. Other authors who have been awarded the Finlandia Prize for two works are  Olli Jalonen  (in 2018 and 1990) and the late  Bo Carpelan  (in 2005 and 1993).
 Taivaallinen vastaanotto  is an experimental novel that draws the reader into a fragmented tale of a fictional writer, Jan Holmi, the creation of his work and its audience reception. The main fictional character also undergoes heart surgery, as Jukka Viikilä did just before writing the novel.
 "This work is unique because of the precision of its language, its originality and relevance. Its fragmentary, experimental structure is surprisingly natural, and after reading it, one feels light but nourished," said Zaida Bergroth, who selected this year's winner.
 Jukka Viikilä said Wednesday that this award feels more meaningful and personal than his first win.
 "I would not have thought that such a structurally experimental novel would win. In addition, the writing process was an important part of my recovery after heart surgery," Jukka Viikilä told Yle by phone just before the award ceremony.
 Viikilä himself says that  Taivaallinen vastaanotto  is about the invisible and imagination.
 "This is a fantasy. The story is based on imagination and hearsay."

Second Finlandia Prize for author Jukka Viikilä


Summary: The EU Commission has urged Finland to keep better track of international arrivals.

The EU Commission has asked Finland and other EU countries to improve their Covid vigilance. Finland should improve its border controls and vaccination programme, according to reports.
 Most EU countries demand international arrivals fill out a passenger information form to help contact tracers to find them for two weeks after they enter the country.
 The Commission wants all member states to use these forms to prevent the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.
 The passenger locator form has been proposed in Finland, but implementation has been sluggish.
 "We have said the passenger information form would be useful several times, but so far the health authorities have apparently not managed to get it done among their other tasks," said  Tuomas Laosmaa  of the Border Guard.
 Sequencing laggard?
 The form would help contact people who had been sitting close to those who later tested positive for Covid.
 The government tried to implement a system like this earlier in the year, but the effort was abandoned due to technical difficulties, legislative changes and data protection issues.
 Ministers did decide over the weekend that they would bring in 'emergency brake' rules, which mean that people can only enter Finland if they have a good reason.
 The EU Commission letter also urged member states to genetically sequence more samples from Covid cases, as a way of tracking the spread of the omicron variant.
 Finland was seen to be a target of that message, with Reuters suggesting that the Nordic country is towards the bottom of European statistics on sequencing.
 According to national health agency THL, however, Finland sequences 15-20 percent of all positive cases and the numbers at the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) are wrong.
 The reason for that, according to THL, is that Finland reports the number of sequenced cases only once the results are in, resulting in a time lag between number of cases and number of sequenced cases.

EU reminder sent over Finland's lack of passenger-notification system


Summary: Some 53 patients are currently being treated in intensive care, the health authority announced during its weekly Covid briefing.

In its weekly Covid briefing, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) ran through the main points and numbers around Finland's Covid situation. In this article we round up the main points from the morning briefing.
 The agency has scheduled a separate briefing later on Thursday focused on booster shots and giving the vaccine to children aged 5-11.
 82% of population fully vaccinated
 Finland has reached 82 percent vaccination coverage among those over 12 years of age, according to THL. Currently the third dose, also known as a booster shot, has been administered to 5.6 percent of the total population.
 Infections up among children are up
 The incidence rate among children under 12 has increased to 28 percent, THL reports. Some 15 percent of all coronavirus infections confirmed in Finland throughout the pandemic have been reported in children under 12 years of age.
 According to THL Chief physician  Otto Helve , however, cases among children are rarer than among adults. The senior doctor said that schools should focus on measures such as testing and quarantine, adding that infections in children are best prevented by curbing infections among adults.
 ICU mortality rate down to 18%
 THL estimates that the mortality rate of the some 1,200 patients treated in critical care since the beginning of the pandemic currently stands at 18 percent. In  March , the equivalent figure was 21 percent. The majority of patients that end up in ICU are aged between 50 and 70. Some 53 Covid patients are currently being treated in intensive care in Finnish hospitals.
 Åland and Central Finland enter community transmission phase
 The regions of Åland and Central Finland have now been added to the  list  of areas classified in the 'community transmission' phase of the epidemic. Some eight regions have a positive rate of less than 4 percent while some of the busiest epidemic regions, report a test positivity rate of 10 percent.

THL: ICU deaths down, 82% vaccine coverage


Summary: The government is trying to slow the spread of the virus without fully banning public gatherings, but has an emergency brake if all else fails.

The Finnish government has outlined measures aimed at tighter restrictions rather than outright bans on moderately risky gatherings such as indoor sports, fairs, choir practice, or outdoor sporting events without assigned seating.
 In practice, this could mean extending the use of the Covid passport, for example, to group exercise and other recreational facilities.
 The projected requirement for use of the Covid passport follows the same logic as it does now in restaurants - there would be no need to limit the number of participants or the opening hours of, say, a theater or yoga club if the organiser requires Covid passport for entry.
 It is not possible to extend requirements for the use of the Covid passport to essential and statutory services such as grocery stores, pharmacies, healthcare or libraries.
 1. Each Regional State Administrative Agency (Avi) decides specific restrictions
 Mikko Pietilä , Chief Medical Officer of the Hospital District of Southwest Finland told Yle on Wednesday that detailed guidelines from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health were still being awaited.
 However, the North Ostrobothnia Regional State Administrative Agency announced on Wednesday that a ban on indoor gatherings of more than 20 people, where the Covid passport is not in use, was bring prepared for the region.
 In addition, broader restrictions on commercial and freetime facilities will come into force in Northern Ostrobothnia at the beginning of next week at the earliest.
 Restrictions applied to different parts of the country will be based on risk assessments by the National Institute for Health and Welfare THL. According to THL moderate risk is posed by activities such as outdoor concerts and sporting events without assigned seating, choirs of more than ten people, team sports, gyms and group exercise.
 Restrictions will not necessarily mean that the facilities will be closed, says  Oona Mölsä , Senior Inspector at the Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland.
 "It will be required, for example, to organise activities and facilities so that the risk of close contact can actually be prevented. Avoiding close contact may require health safety measures such as limiting the number of participants," Mölsä explains.
 By requiring the Covid passport, organisers will be able to avoid restrictions on the number of participants.
 2. Telecommuting recommendation for areas in spreading phase
 Telecommuting is recommended in areas in the spreading phases of the coronavirus in both the public and private sectors.
 3. Vaccination mandate for care workers next year?
 The government plans to present a bill to parliament next week aimed at reducing the risk of healthcare professionals infecting patients with the coronavirus.
 Under the plan, employers will have an obligation to ensure that staff do not pose a risk of infection to anyone receiving care services. Vaccinations would be classed as a part of healthcare occupational safety.
 If passed by Parliament, implementation will be postponed until next year, as the draft law provides for a one-month transition period to allow non-vaccinated staff to get vaccinations.
 4. Travel list of "safe countries" to be dropped
 For the time being, it is still possible to enter Finland without a double vaccination or a Covid passport for travelers from countries on a so-called "green list" where the incident rate is under 25 Covid cases per 100 000 inhabitants.
 The list currently includes Australia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Canada and New Zealand, among others.
 According to Yle's information, the government now plans to drop this exemption.
 All travelers to Finland will be required to have either a Covid passport or comparable vaccination certificate, or two negative test results, or evidence of having recovered from the coronavirus.
 The European Commission has proposed abandoning the EU-wide list of green countries by the turn of the year.
 5. More rapid tests, but who will pay?
 The rate of coronavirus testing plummeted during the autumn when the testing strategy reduced access to tests for children with mild symptoms and adults who had received two vaccinations.
 The move was largely influenced by a shortage of resources.
 Testing places constraints on healthcare personnel. For example, diverting school health workers' hours for use in testing pulled them from school health check-ups and dental care.
 The government wants to make it easier to get tested, but this faces the same resource issue.
 THL has proposed the use of rapid antigen tests at home. If made available on a large scale, it must still be decided whether people will pay for them out of their own pockets or whether they will be reimbursed from the public purse.
 6. Emergency brake applied in December, if nothing else helps
 If the coronavirus continues to spread despite new restrictions, and hospitals are burdened at the current rate, the government has reserved what is being called an "emergency brake" as a last resort.
 This would mean that the restrictions in force could not be circumvented with a Covid passport.
 The government could direct regional administrative agencies to, among other things, ban public gatherings, close recreational facilities and restaurants, and under exceptional circumstances also introduce a state of emergency law.
 This, in turn, would allow restrictions on movement in addition to business activities, if deemed necessary to curb development of the coronavirus spread.
 Before the emergency brake can be applied, however, the impact of other restrictions must be monitored for two weeks. In other words, the most stringent restrictions could take effect no earlier than mid-December.

What might the latest Finnish government anti-pandemic decisions mean in practice?


Summary: Finland retains 'the option' to join Nato.

President Sauli Niinistö has rejected a  move  from Russian President Vladimir Putin to try and limit Nato expansion.
 News agency STT asked the president's view on Putin's suggestion that Russia gets 'legal guarantees' that the alliance would not expand eastwards. Replying by email, Niinistö said he saw no possibility for a deal like that.
 "Decisions on new members joining will be taken by the applicant country and Nato's thirty member states, and decisions on membership are for the applicant and Nato countries to decide," wrote Niinistö.
 Putin's proposal was firmly rejected by Nato and the US, and Nato emphasised to STT that Finland's foreign and security policies are founded on retaining the flexibility to join the western alliance.
 "An important part of this picture is Nato's so-called open doors policy, which preserves the possibility of membership for countries that fulfil the membership criteria. This principle was most recently reaffirmed during the Nato leadership's visit to Helsinki in October," said Niinistö.
 Niinistö also said that Nato is a force for stability in Europe, and that membership is between applicant countries and the alliance itself. Finland has joined several Nato partnership programmes to ease co-operation with western military powers.

President Niinistö: Nato membership is between applicant and Nato — not Putin


Summary: All Points North finds out what life is really like for healthcare workers and patients on a Finnish coronavirus ward.

This week the All Points North podcast pulls back the curtain on Finland's Covid wards, finds out what happens when restaurants don't recognise your vaccine certificate, and hears from a charity wanting to deliver gifts to kids this Christmas.
 "I didn't realise before I went there that this ward would have people who are suffering from different illnesses. There were people who were suffering from dementia, drug addiction, and then there were newborn babies," Yle journalist  Satu Miettinen  told APN of her reporting on Päijät-Häme Central Hospital's Covid ward.
 You can listen to the full podcast using the embedded player here, via  Yle Areena ,  Spotify ,  Apple Podcasts  or on your usual podcast player using the RSS feed.
 Article continues after audio.
 EU chief  Ursula von der Leyen  has floated the idea of mandatory vaccines, but public health institute vaccine researcher  Jonas Sivelä  told APN he doesn't agree with the idea of forcing jabs.
 "Directly or indirectly accusing people and placing blame will probably not help those who are not vaccinated make a positive decision. In our Nordic context, I would definitely say that we should continue with softer ways of trying to make a change," he explained.
 APN also takes up audience concerns, which this week include the challenges of eating out when restaurants don't recognise American vaccination certificates, to the trials and tribulations of booking health appointments in English.
 With the countdown to Christmas started, the podcast team also hears from Joulupuu, a charity aiming to deliver 100,000 gifts to children.
 Join the conversation!
 This week's show was presented by  Zena Iovino  and  Ronan Browne . It was produced by  Mark B. Odom  and the audio engineer was  Laura Koso .
 If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts, just contact us via WhatsApp on +358 44 421 0909, on our Facebook or Twitter accounts, or at yle.news@yle.fi and allpointsnorth@yle.fi.

APN podcast: Behind the curtain of Finland's Covid wards


Summary: Finland's vaccine strategy is evolving.

Finland is to recommend every adult gets a Covid booster shot between five and six months after their second dose of Covid vaccine, and that children at risk of severe Covid should also be vaccinated.
 Third doses had already been recommended for those aged over 60, those who had a shorter gap between their first two doses and those caring for Covid patients.
 "The goal of the recommendation is to reduce the number of Covid infections and prevent the spread of the virus," said THL Chief Physician Hanna Nohynek in a press release.
 "Third doses reduce the spread of the virus in the population and improve protection against serious disease."
 The THL is also recommending vaccination for children aged 5-11 in risk groups. Vaccinations could begin as early as Christmas, according to the agency. It said it needed more information on the safety of Covid vaccines for children before it recommended vaccinating them more widely.

THL recommends Covid booster shots for adults and vaccination for at-risk 5-11-year-olds


Finland's largest circulation daily,  Helsingin Sanomat carries reaction  from Defense Minister  Antti Kaikkonen  (CEN) to Russian President  Vladimir Putin 's latest effort to limit Nato expansion.
 "Of course, it has been known that Russia is critical of Nato and certainly of Nato enlargement," Kaikkonen noted.
 "There are no preparations or plans for us to apply for NATO membership now. Nevertheless, we want to keep it [the membership option] and keep it in our own hands. And on the other hand, the alliance itself decides who it will take as a member or not," Kaikkonen said,  echoing a statement  by President  Sauli Niinistö  on Thursday.
 Kaikkonen believes that Putin's comments are indicative of a rather tense situation between the West and Russia.
 “Of course, it’s unfortunate that the atmosphere is like this right now,” he added.
 Tampere's  Aamulehti features a wide ranging interview  with President Niinistö marking the paper's 140th anniversary week. The discussion touched upon issues as diverse as good deeds, the coronavirus pandemic, Tampere's development, journalism and security policy.
 Asked about where Finland's defense should be anchored, President Niinistö said, "Ultimately, our own responsibility is foremost in these matters."
 Niinistö expressed the view that Finland is relatively “at the forefront” of military capability on a European scale.
 On the subject of international defense partners, President Niinistö enumerated a long list of cooperation including ever-strengthening ties with Sweden, a special partnership with Nato, common Nordic security thinking "in the triangle with Norway" and, for example, the Joint Expeditionary Forces for International Crisis Management led by the United Kingdom. In addition, he mentioned cooperation with France and Germany.
 State funds for testing
 After reporting  statements on Thursday  by  Lasse Lehtonen , Director of Diagnostic Services at Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), saying that coronavirus testing will have to be severely cut back due to lack of state funding,  Iltalehti now reports  that money will be made available.
 Kirsi Varhila , Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has now told Iltalehti that there was no cause for concern.
 According to Varhila, the government has committed to reimbursing the direct costs related to the pandemic, such as testing costs, in full, as long as the situation and the implementation of the coronavirus strategy so require.
 Late on Thursday, the ministry issued a bulletin stating that the central government will continue to reimburse municipalities in full for the costs associated with their action to combat the coronavirus.
 Part of funds reserved for the 2021 budget will be available in 2022. Additional funding to cover costs incurred in 2022 can be allocated through a supplementary state budget, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
 Expertise over party
 Kuopio's  Savon Sanomat  is among the morning papers that carries an Uutissuomalainen news group poll showing that 38 percent of voters say that expertise in social and health care and rescue services will be the main factor in choosing a candidate when voting in  January's county council elections .
 That figure is well ahead of the 29 percent who see party affiliation as the main criteria in deciding who will get their vote.
 The  county council, or regional, elections  are being held in Finland for the first time. Voters will be asked to choose candidates to join their local county council, which will decide on social, health, fire and rescue services in their area.
 Sami Borg , an election researcher at the University of Tampere, told Uutissuomalainen that the emphasis on expertise is a little surprising. Borg believes that this will now become a major part in campaigns for the  county council elections  in 2022.
 "Expertise means in practice that the candidate works or has worked in these fields or has the appropriate training for them. Of course, the candidates and the parties will highlight these features in their campaigns," said Borg.
 Jouni Tilli , a lecturer in political science at the University of Jyväskylä, pointed out that the need for candidates to convince voters of their expertise in an understandable way will require a certain style of campaigning.
 "One could hope that the campaigns will emphasize expertise. This would also make it clear to citizens what these welfare areas and regional councils are all about," Tilli noted .
 Cold and colder
 Ilta-Sanomat  tells its readers that winter is tightening its grip as Independence Day approaches.
 Looking at the forecast for the upcoming long holiday weekend, the paper reports that the coldest temperatures are forecast for Sunday and Independence Day on Monday.
 Weekend temperatures in Helsinki will hover at -10C, in Tampere and Pori -15C, in Jyväskylä -16C, in Vaasa -20C.
 Foreca meteorologist  Juha Föhr  told Ilta-Sanomat that readings will drop to as low as -35C "somewhere in Lapland".
 "But where, I'm not going to guess. Not quite in southern Lapland, not up at the top either, but somewhere in between," Föhr said.

Friday's papers: Rebuff to Putin, money for testing, expert candidates


Summary: Regional authorities have announced a ban on indoor public events and gatherings of more than 20 people that do not require Covid passports beginning Saturday 4 December.

The Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland has announced that starting Saturday indoor, organised public events and other gatherings of more than 20 people will be banned in the Uusimaa region which includes the capital, Helsinki.
 Events drawing more than 20 people can be held, if organisers ensure than all participants have  a valid Covid passport .
 Also under the decision, operators responsible for commercial and public premises are required to organise the use of their premises in such a way that the risk of coronavirus infection can be prevented. For example, the number of customers may be limited, visitor participation staggered, or other arrangements made related to the use of indoor spaces and seating.
 Regardless of the number of individuals, the decision applies to facilities used for sports, exercise, leisure and recreational activities, such as gyms, indoor sports facilities and public saunas. For other premises, the decision must be complied with in the case of any indoor space used for gatherings of more than 10 persons or outdoor areas for more than 50 persons.
 Covid passport alternative
 Event organisers can avoid implementing these restrictions if they ask all attendees to show a valid Covid passport. In that case there is no need to restrict the number of participants. The Covid passport must be checked upon arrival at the venue of the event. The requirement applies to all persons over 16 years of age.
 Other open gatherings, not classed as organised public events, must comply with restrictions. An example of this kind of gathering is a demonstration that can be attended by anyone, not only invited guests or ticket holders.
 The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health sent new guidelines to regional government agencies on Wednesday, recommending the introduction of more restrictive measures to moderately risky activities in areas where infection rates have risen.
 These latest restrictions in the Uusimaa region will remain in force until 31 December.

Restrictions on gatherings tightened in Uusimaa


Summary: Ice-venturers should wait until the ice cover reaches a thickness of at least 10 cm before walking on frozen water, according to expert Jouni Vainio.

Ice cover is still unreliable and weak on lakes and coastal waters across Finland, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI).
 Measurements conducted in Laajalahti on Thursday morning showed that the ice thickness between Helsinki and Espoo currently varies between two to five centimeters.
 Ice cover expert at the FMI,  Jouni Vainio , says that on-ice activities are still too risky, especially in the South.
 "Five-centimeter-thick ice cover can take on about a hundred kilograms of weight if it is smooth, which is something that naturally formed ice is not. At least 10 centimeters is needed before [safely] stepping on the ice," Vainio says.
 Weak ice warnings have been issued in several areas across the country in recent weeks. Unstable ice recently cost the lives of two men around 70 years of age, who drowned in North Savo on Wednesday.
 Despite warnings, some skiers and skaters have already begun venturing on the frozen water in and around Finland. According to Vainio, this is usually the case for experienced ice venturers.
 "They often have a dry suit on and carry spare clothes with them, packed in waterproof storage. If you know how to move on the ice, you can, but generally speaking, it is not yet time," Vainio explains.
 The ice cover situation can be monitored from the Finnish Meteorological Institute's  ice map  (In Finnish).

FMI expert: Ice thickness unpredictable despite cold weather


Finland's Ministry for Social Affairs and Health says that arriving passengers should in future be tested for Covid if they do not have a certificate proving they've been vaccinated.
 This ends any exemptions for arrivals from countries considered to have reasonable Covid situations, as the Omikron variant spreads worldwide.
 But now anyone who does not show a vaccine pass will be asked to go for a health check, at which they can be asked to take a Covid test.
 The ministry says this will help slow the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant into and within Finland.
 The new rules are based on advice from the National Institute for Health and Welfare, THL. They come into effect from Saturday.

Finland brings back border testing for unvaccinated travellers


Summary: Drivers rushed to tank up when the pump price at three stations in western Finland plummeted overnight to 14 cents/litre.

A technical fault slashed the pump price for 95-octane petrol at three stations at Paimio, Raisio and Aura in western Finland in the early morning hours of Friday.
 From about half past midnight until 6AM, pumps at these stations were offering petrol at 14 cents per litre, rather than the more than 1.8 euros many drivers have been paying over the past few weeks.
 A reader told Yle that hundreds of motorists descended on the stations during the night, filling tanks and canisters.
 Rami Kalliomäki , group manager of the Turku Cooperative TOK, which operates the stations, confirmed reports of the rush to pump cheap petrol.
 "Let's say that if you compare it to a normal night, there was a lot more traffic at these stations," he says with a laugh.
 According to Kalliomäki, thousands of litres of cheap fuel were sold during the night. At present, a litre of 95-octane petrol costs on average around 1.78 euros.
 "It is a pity for our customers that we no longer have any more cheap petrol," Kalliomäki says.

Technical glitch provides 100s of motorists with nearly free petrol


Summary: The biting cold could impact Independence Day celebrations on Monday

A cold wave is set to hit Finland this weekend, with temperatures expected to plunge to -40℃ in Lapland.
 While the mercury dropped well below zero across all parts of Finland on Friday, a cold Arctic air mass blowing in from the Eastern and Northeastern parts of the country will lower temperatures further on Saturday and Sunday.
 According to  Nina Karusto , a meteorologist with Yle, Sunday will likely be the coldest day this week. Central and Southern Lapland are expected to be worst hit by the chilly weather.
 "These areas could see -30℃ from Saturday onwards, and the temperature could drop from -30℃ to down to -40℃ on Sunday morning," Karusto said.
 Central parts of Finland can expect to hit -25℃ this weekend, while the mercury could fall to -15℃ in Southern Finland.
 Wind chill factor makes it colder
 According to Karusto, if one is outside in these temperatures, even a very light gust of wind could make the surrounding air feel significantly colder.
 "The biting wind can make the cold feel really severe, even in the south. You could add five or even ten degrees to the original temperature reading," she stated.
 The forecast indicates clear skies for nearly the entire country this weekend. The Southern coast and Southeast Finland could see snow showers arriving from the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga, respectively on Sunday.
 The weather is exceptionally cold for this time of the year, as Finland generally experiences such low temperatures only between January and February.
 Frosty weather expected for Independence Day
 While Karusto is unable to provide an accurate picture of what the weather will be like this Monday, Finland's Independence Day, she indicates it would be safe to assume that the subzero temperatures will persist.
 "It is difficult to predict the temperature for that day, as the coldest air mass might have already receded towards Sweden. It could still be -30℃ in the North. You have to dress appropriately, even if your formal wear is not especially warm," she said.
 Some amount of snowfall is expected to arrive from the Southeast on Monday. Karusto estimates that Southern and Eastern Finland will see anything between 1 to 5 centimetres of snow during the day.
 While the cold wave will likely carry on till the beginning of next week, the weather is expected to take a turn for the warmer in a week's time, with temperatures set to rise above zero in Southern Finland.

Temperatures headed toward -40C in Lapland


Summary: A group of five people are the focus of the first cluster of cases.

Finland's first cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus have been identified. The two cases were sequenced from patients who had recently returned from Sweden.
 They were part of a group of five people on a trip, and the other three members of the group have been tested with results expected early next week.
 At least one of the confirmed cases was double vaccinated, and only has mild symptoms so far.
 The group travelled by plane, and according to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), there were no exposures on the flight.
 "We have notified these infections internationally in the normal way, and the contact tracing has taken place that way," said  Carita Savolainen-Kopra  of THL. "It's to do with how they were sitting there [on the plane] and there are certain criteria as to who was exposed during the flight. According to our information, nobody on the flight has been adjudged to have been exposed."
 Those exposed in Finland after the group landed have been identified and asked to isolate, according to THL.

Finland's first Omicron cases identified


Summary: The ban will come into effect from Saturday and will last for 16 days

Trade unions in the industrial sector have announced an overtime ban due to an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions. They will also refuse requests to swap shifts if the request comes from management.
 The Industrial Union, a trade union that represents employees in Finland's light and heavy industries, announced on Friday that the overtime ban will come into effect from 4 December and will last till 19 December.
 The decision was made on Tuesday morning following discussions between worker and employer representatives on a new collective agreement in the sector. The previous agreement expired in November.
 The overtime ban, which will affect around 150,000 employees in the industry, will not apply to emergencies or work considered necessary to safeguard people's health or lives.
 According to  Riku Aalto , Chair of the Industrial Union, the overtime ban will have a significant impact on companies.
 "The employment situation is good, but there is a shortage of components. The equipment lacks components and when they become available, assembly often takes place during overtime," he said, pointing out how some units had to shut operations within six hours when an overtime ban was imposed two years ago.
 Representatives from the Industrial Union said that the organisation is willing to continue talks with the Technology Industry Employers of Finland, which represents the employers.
 However, the Industrial Union has warned it may take stronger industrial action before returning to the negotiating table if its demands are not met.
 Tuesday's talks were halted less than two hours after they began, with both parties agreeing to suspend negotiations when representatives couldn't come to an agreement on key issues.
 While they were able to agree on a number of matters, the level of proposed pay rises and the length of the collective agreement period were major points of contention.

Industrial Union calls overtime ban


Summary: Southwest Finland police arrested the suspects on Thursday evening.

Five men were remanded into custody on Friday on suspicion of making preparations for a terror attack.
 The five were detained on Thursday evening in Kankaanpää, and appeared before the Southwest Finland District court on Friday.
 At a press conference on Friday evening, police declined to say whether the men were planning to target a specific community with the attack.
 Police said there is no acute danger from the group. All five suspects are under the age of 30 and follow a far-right ideology influenced by accelerationist ideas.
 That means they want to foment chaos in society in order to hasten the collapse of western societies, using extreme violence to pursue their aims. Accelerationist ideas have spread online and been cited by several mass killers in recent years.
 The men were arrested on Tuesday morning in a joint operation that included Helsinki police and the National Bureau of Investigation (KRP). Four were in Kankaanpää and one was in Tampere at the time of arrest.
 Police seized weapons, ammunition and fertiliser that can be used to make explosives.
 The Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo) and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) also participated in the investigation.
 The suspects have been charged with the intention to commit terrorist offences and making preparations for a terrorist act under section 6 of the Finnish penal code. They are also being investigated for other crimes, including firearms offences and aggravated theft.
 One of the suspects was previously convicted of burglary while two others have been charged with assault in the past.
 Police have been following the movements of the group for the past few years. The men first came under the radar when they were suspected of an aggravated firearms offence in 2019 after they were found to have multiple firearms, cartridges and explosives in their possession.
 According to police, this is the first instance of a suspected terror offence involving the extreme right in Finland.
 Data from Supo indicates that far-right terrorism is a rising threat across Europe, and the idealogy associated with the movement has gained popularity in Finland in recent years.
 "This is a concrete example of the significant threat posed by small groups motivated by far-right ideology,"  Eero Pietilä  of Supo stated at a press conference on Friday.
 He said that police had not uncovered links to other far-right groups, and the members would not be seen at demonstrations, for example.

Five far-right terror suspects remanded into custody


Summary: Turku's "Path of Light" is illuminating the city this weekend.

The outdoor installment features 14 different light works. The event also includes circus performances, puppet theatre and light orienteering.
 "The past 18 months have been a tough time for everyone. Now it's the darkest time of the year, so we're bringing some light into the darkness," participating artist  Kari Kola  said.
 Turku is spending some 180,000 euros on the event.
 More information  here .

Watch: Giant bunnies invade Turku


Summary: Most recycled metals in Finland go back into the domestic market, but some are shipped off to Asia and the Middle East.

The price of scrap metal is currently higher than ever, according to  Juuso Luodesmeri , whose company Eurajoen Romu has a 25-hectare scrapyard filled with bicycle frames, cars and old sinks.
 Located in Eurajoki, Satakunta, in Western Finland, it is the largest operation of its kind in the country.
 "There's traffic in and out of here all the time. Big factory company lorries, people with trailers," Luodesmeri says.
 Story continues after the photo.
 Approximately 150 thousand tonnes of scrap metal pass through the Eurajoen Romu site every year. Tapio Termonen / Yle
 Factories and technology
 A massive amount of metal passes through the Eurajoen Romu scrapyard every year, up to 150 thousand tonnes.
 Where exactly does the metal come from?
 "Quite a lot of old technology and factories are being dismantled at the moment. A fair amount comes in from recycling collection, too," Juuso Luodesmeri explains.
 Story continues after the photo.
 Both companies and private individuals drop off scrap. Any kind of metal is suitable, because the yard can sort different metals with high precision. Tapio Termonen / Yle
 Various metals, such as aluminium and copper, are sorted out from the scrap. While the end product is sent off mainly to the domestic market for processing, there are relative few metal refineries in Finland.
 "Domestic needs come first. Then the metals are shipped to the Far Eastern market and from the Port of Rauma to Turkey," Luodesmeri says.
 China and Turkey are the world's most important markets for scrap metals.
 "In practice, the Turkish market determines the price level in Europe," Luodesmeri explains.
 Story continues after the photo.
 The end product is fine-grained crushed metal that is sold domestic industries, the Asian market and Turkish steel mills. Tapio Termonen / Yle
 Prices bouncing back
 When the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic hit, stock markets and commodity prices plummeted, but are now on the rise.
 "Price fluctuations are very sudden. I don't know that the price of the metal would have ever been so high before," Juuso Luodesmeri points out.
 According to Luodesmeri, the prices are being affected by a construction boom in the United States.
 "During the lockdown, production stopped, but now it has restarted and the stock markets have also been on the rise. This has affected the price of the metals."

Scrap metal prices reach all-time high, dealers buying all they can get


Summary: The Finance Minister says she wants more focus on the health of the economy.

Finance Minister  Annika Saarikko  (Cen) on Saturday said central government debt was an unavoidable part of the coronavirus crisis, but that it was now time to move beyond a pandemic mindset.
 "Dealing with Covid has been the best economic policy during the pandemic," Saarikko told Yle, saying the government has wanted to care for people's health while helping businesses stay afloat.
 Following up on recent  austerity comments , Saarikko said it's now time to move into a new phase, which entails the state tightening its purse strings.
 Saarikko pointed out that in an aging country like Finland there's constant pressure on spending. She said she wants economic issues, which have fallen in the shadow of climate and Covid, to feature more prominently in public debate.
 "My generation has lived during a time of low interest rates. There's no guarantee that trend will continue," Saarikko, who also chairs the Centre Party, said.
 Saarikko took aim at her leftist government partners for what she called a lax attitude towards borrowing.
 "It seems that the left sees economics changing so fundamentally that the scale and volume of debt doesn't matter that much anymore," she told Yle.
 The Finance Minister said the government must stick to its budget framework, which is why she said she was planning to schedule talks with her cabinet colleagues before Christmas.
 "Covid-time economic policies can't continue. It's time to move on to policy that supports sustainable economic growth," she said, adding that it's too early to estimate what the effects of the Omicron variant on the economy will be.
 The budget framework establishes agreed spending limits for each budgetary year, which the current government has exceeded during this term of office as extra spending was required to help the nation deal with the Covid crisis.
 Last year the central government borrowed 18.5 billion euros to mitigate the effects of the pandemic in Finland. The administration overestimated its rescue spending, leaving eight billion for later use. This year Finland is expected to draw 3.7 billion euros in new debt, according to the Finance Ministry.

FM Saarikko bashes left's attitudes on debt


Summary: Readers share their photos of the Arctic wave hitting Finland this weekend.

Rivers are starting to freeze.

Sender: Raimo Sarkkinen
 The sea freezes up off Livonsaari.

Sender: Jarmo Pelkkala
 Snow White and Cinderella in their element.

Sender: Tuula Sarkkinen
 Misty waters off Parainen.

Sender: Jussi Salmi
 Sub-zero cycling in Iisalmi.

Sender: Jani Kaikkonen
 An ice-swimming spot in Kuopio.

Sender: Eila Eskelinen
 Winter light in Puumalansalmi.

Sender: Timo Vorne

In pictures: Finland's deep freeze


Summary: Pekka Haavisto is working from home and not experiencing any symptoms.

Finnish Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green) has contracted Covid, the government said late on Saturday.
 Haavisto, who is asymptomatic, is working remotely.
 "The rest of the government has been informed and so has Parliament," the government's spokesperson,  Päivi Paasikoski , told Finnish news agency STT.
 She said Haavisto got tested for coronavirus ahead of an upcoming work trip, which was cancelled following his positive result on Saturday evening.
 Paasikoski said she could not estimate how many people Haavisto had potentially exposed to the virus.
 Earlier this week Haavisto attended the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Stockholm. Prior to travelling to Sweden he was in Riga for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers.
 This week, Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP), who had been suffering from cold symptoms, tested negative for coronavirus.

Finland's Foreign Minister tests positive for Covid


Summary: A citizens' initiative opposing Covid passes has racked up more than the 50,000 signatures required to be taken up by lawmakers.

An initiative opposing Covid passports has surpassed the 50,000 signatures required for Finnish lawmakers to consider the proposal.
 Authors of the initiative argue that Finland should abandon Covid passes, claiming the practice of excluding people based on vaccination status contradicts both the Finnish constitution as well as the UN's human rights declaration. They also said workplace passports would present a serious threat to the right to work and income.
 Last month an initiative to legally ban  workplace Covid passport requirements  gathered the required number of signatures within a week of launching.
 In practice, "passport" in this context refers to the EU Digital Covid Certificate, which is available from the My Kanta online service, or in printed form from healthcare providers. The passport enables people to gain entry to various events. Obtaining one requires vaccination against Covid-19, a certificate of a recent negative test result, or a certificate of recovery from Covid-19.

Push to ban Covid passes proceeds to Parliament


Summary: Finland continues to spark curiosity for its top spot on the world happiness index.

Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP) told British newspaper  The Guardian  on Sunday that equality, education and the welfare state had propelled Finland to the top of a global  happiness ranking  four years in a row.
 "We have always worked for equality in Finland, and I think it's also important in the future, and not only the equality of men and women, or the genders, but also the equality of minority groups in society," Marin was quoted as saying.
 A different survey conducted this summer, however, suggests that  one in five Finns is unhappy , up from 17 percent in 2016.
 Like many  other  international media outlets, The Guardian traces Marin's ascension to one of the country's most powerful posts.
 But the newspaper also suggests that "cracks within her five-party coalition are beginning to show," quoting a recent Yle party support  poll  showing her Social Democrats dropping to third spot, trailing the National Coalition Party and Finns Party.
 The Guardian highlights Marin's government facing a  confidence vote  on border security over the possible threat of a hybrid operation at Finland's borders.
 When asked about Belarus' hybrid attack, the PM said, "there was no problem at the Finnish border," adding that Finland condemns Belarus' actions.
 British politicians have meanwhile taken notice of Finland's aim to eliminate  street homelessness  by 2027, according to The Guardian.
 "There are still people without homes, and we still have problems, especially in the bigger cities. But we have also made progress," she told the paper.

PM Marin draws attention as leader of "happiest nation"


Summary: Studies suggest between five and ten percent of social and health workers in Finland are unvaccinated.

Finland is seeing suspected cases of unvaccinated nurses passing coronavirus to patients, which is why lawmakers will soon consider a government bill making Covid jabs mandatory for healthcare workers.
 One family's story in Keuruu, some 60km west of Jyväskylä, is raising debate. They claim their 93-year-old grandmother died after becoming infected by an unvaccinated home health aide.
 The woman's grandchild told Yle that though their grandmother was double-jabbed, she likely contracted the virus from an unvaccinated home health aide who had tested positive.
 "How is it possible that people working with risk groups aren't necessarily vaccinated [against coronavirus]?" the deceased woman's grandchild asks.
 Before passing away, the grandmother told her family the nurse admitted to neither being vaccinated nor planning to get the jab.
 No records
 Finland does not keep official records of cases involving unvaccinated carers infecting patients with Covid.
 "I'd believe it's a matter of a handful of cases," said  Anna Kukka  of Local Government and County Employers KT, a lobby for local and municipal authorities.
 She said getting precise figures in these situation was difficult. That's because employers in Finland cannot legally demand that workers provide information on their vaccination status. Kukka also noted that fully vaccinated people are still capable of spreading the virus.
 Chief superintendent  Konsta Arvelin  from the National Police Board also said he was unaware of any investigations into unvaccinated carers infecting patients.
 Arvelin, however, said anyone intentionally spreading the virus could be suspected of assault.
 With the Keuruu woman's case making local headlines,  Mari Kolu , a director with the city, said she hoped Parliament would soon amend infectious disease laws to require mandatory Covid vaccinations for social and health staff.
 "When it's written into law, unvaccinated workers have an obligation to tell employers about their vaccination status. Then we'll have to consider what kind of work they can do," Kolu explained.
 The government's bill mandating healthcare worker vaccinations is expected to reach lawmakers next week, according to  Pasi Pohjola , a strategy director at the Ministry for Social Affairs and Health.
 5-10 percent unvaccinated
 Helsinki GSE, a cross-university research group, has estimated that more than ten percent of Finland's social and healthcare workers have turned down the jab. Other studies have put that number around five percent.
 Helsinki GSE's research also suggests that vaccine coverage in the field is the highest—over 90 percent—among specialised healthcare workers, while practical nurses and those working with disabled patients have the lowest uptake, estimated around 80 percent, according to the group.
 Following widespread local publicity on the Keuruu woman's death, the Central Finland Police Department said it was opening a preliminary investigation into the case.
 This week Yle News' All Points North podcast finds out what life is really like for healthcare workers and patients on a Finnish coronavirus ward. You can listen  here .

Finland to consider mandatory Covid jabs for healthcare workers


Summary: Finland is set to buy new fighter jets.

Finland's government is meeting on Friday to confirm a decision to purchase 60 new fighter jets to replace an ageing fleet of Hornet planes.
 On Friday morning the ministerial committee on foreign policy and security meets with the president to discuss the proposal, followed by a meeting of the full government on the same topic.
 Finally at 13:30 a joint meeting of parliament's defence and foreign affairs committees was scheduled, with the fighter jet procurement on the agenda.
 Earlier this week Swedish public service television firm SVT predicted that the winning bid would come from Lockheed Martin, with Finland getting F-35 jets.
 There has been a long tendering process for the planes, with five possible options but the American F-35 always the favourite. The public debate has focused on whether or not the allocated maintenance funding of 250 million euros per year will be sufficient to keep the planes in the air.

Government meets to confirm fighter jet purchase


Summary: The Prime Minister told Helsingin Sanomat that she could have exercised better judgement after learning of Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto's (Green) coronavirus infection.

Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP) missed two separate text messages instructing her to self-isolate while she was out socialising on Saturday evening in Helsinki as she did not have her government phone with her at the time, according to a report by news agency STT.
 The first message instructing members of the government to self-isolate if they had been in close contact with Minister of Foreign Affairs  Pekka Haavisto  (Green) was sent just before 8pm on Saturday, STT reported. Haavisto  tested positive  for the virus on Saturday.
 The second of the two messages, which were both sent by the government's Chief Security Officer, was dispatched at about 10pm on Saturday evening.
 Marin told  Helsingin Sanomat  and tabloid  Iltalehti  that the text messages were sent to her government phone, which she had not taken with her on Saturday evening.
 Marin added that she did however have a parliamentary phone, to which she received a call informing her of Haavisto's confirmed coronavirus infection.
 Writing on Twitter, Marin  explained  that she was told during this phone call that there was no need for her to take any special precautions.
 "In this connection, I was not instructed to avoid contacts," Marin wrote.
 Helsingin Sanomat further reported that Secretary of State  Henrik Haapajärvi  told the Prime Minister about Haavisto's coronavirus infection at about 7.20pm on Saturday evening.
 Marin admitted to Helsingin Sanomat that she should have used better judgment when she was given this information.
 She also told HS that she always has at least one of her official phones with her.
 "I am always available, and even on this occasion I was reached," Marin said.
 Marin: Instructions not read until Sunday
 In her tweet, Marin added that she only read the instructions sent by the Chief Security Officer about self-isolating on Sunday.
 "I usually have both phones, but this was not the case [on Saturday] as it was a day off. It was only in the morning [on Sunday] that I noticed and read the messages on the other phone," Marin told  Ilta-Sanomat .
 The prime minister also revealed in her tweets that she began following the instructions on Sunday immediately after reading the messages, and arranged a coronavirus test.
 Marin's first test proved negative and she scheduled another test for Monday, adding that she will avoid all contacts until after she receives the second test result.
 Speaking to Iltalehti, Marin said she will return to work as normal if the second test proves to be negative.
 Marin's night out in Helsinki was  first reported  by the entertainment magazine Seiska, which wrote that the prime minister had been out in at least two different bars in the city with her husband and a few other people.

Media reports PM Marin missed Covid exposure messages while out socialising


Summary: Finland declared independence on 6 December, 1917.

Finland celebrates Independence Day on Monday 6 December, but Covid restrictions will impact festivities for a second consecutive year.
 The Finnish Defence Forces  shelved plans  for this year's Independence Day parade in the city of Lahti. Last year's parade, planned for the city of Pori, did not go ahead either because of the coronavirus epidemic.
 President  Sauli Niinistö   cancelled  this year's Independence Day gala at the Presidential Palace, citing concerns over the worsening coronavirus situation.
 The annual event, which usually sees the Finnish president and their spouse greeting up to 2,000 guests, will take place virtually again this year. Yle TV1's broadcast begins at 4pm.
 People in Finland also traditionally watch 'The Unknown Soldier' (Tuntematon sotilas) on Independence Day, which will be broadcast this year on Yle TV1 at 1.10pm.
 However, some public events have gone ahead. Finland’s Independence Day flag hoisting ceremony returned to Observatory Hill Park (Tähtitorninmäki) in Helsinki this year, following a  move to Hämeenlinna  last year due to restrictions at the time on the gathering of crowds in the capital region.
 The Finnish flag being raised at Observatory Hill Park (Tähtitorninmäki) in Helsinki. Marica Paukkeri / Yle
 The national flag-raising tradition on Helsinki’s Tähtitorni Hill dates back to 1957, and has been televised by Yle since 1958. Last year was the first time the event took place outside Helsinki.
 Speaker of Parliament  Anu Vehviläinen  (Cen) delivered this year's speech, while singing was provided as usual by the Viipurin lauluveikot, a male choir founded in 1897 in Vyborg, a city which was ceded to the Soviet Union after the Second World War.

Finland celebrates Independence Day despite shadow of Covid


Summary: Helsinki is seeing a total of four different demonstrations or processions on Independence Day.

Helsinki Police Department faced its biggest operation of the year as four different demonstrations or processions passed through the city centre on Independence Day.
 The first protest of the day was organised by far right group  Suomi herää  (or 'Finland Awakes') and departed from the Aleksis Kivi statue at 3pm, arriving in front of Parliament buildings just before 4pm.
 Police estimated that about 250 people participated in the protest, which included the flying of the Nationalist Alliance group's ( Kansallismielisten liittouma  in Finnish) flags as well as those of  Suomi herää .
 Story continues after the photos.
 Suomi herää, or Finland Awakes, protestors gathered at the Aleksis Kivi Memorial in downtown Helsinki. Tuomas Rimpiläinen / Yle
 Jaani Lampinen / Yle
 A counter protest, involving about 10 people, was moved away from the  Suomi herää  demonstration by police, and one of the counter protestors was taken into police custody.
 Police said the remainder of the  Suomi herää  protest passed off peacefully, ending around 5pm.
 Soon afterwards, the pre-arranged "Helsinki without Nazis" counter-demonstration left Narinkkatori Square in Kamppi, where around 300 participants had initially gathered.
 Story continues after the photos.
 Participants in the "Helsinki without Nazis" counter-protest. Veikko Eromäki / Yle
 Police estimated there were about 300 participants at the start of the demonstration. Veikko Eromäki / Yle
 By 6pm, police said the number of participants had grown to about 1,500. The "Helsinki without Nazis" event has traditionally been held to protest against the far right in the capital. Organisers said that, in previous years, it has attracted between 2,000 and 3,000 participants.
 At around the same time, Helsinki’s traditional university students’ Independence Day procession departed from Hietaniemi Cemetery at 5pm, making its way to the Presidential Palace before 6pm before ending at Senate Square.
 Story continues after the photos.
 Participants in Helsinki’s traditional university students’ Independence Day procession. Jaani Lampinen / Yle
 President Sauli Niinistö waved to the procession as it passed the Presidential Palace. Jaani Lampinen / Yle
 The final protest of the day, the far-right 612 torch procession, began at about 6pm. An estimated 300 people participated.
 According to police, "Helsinki without Nazis" protesters attempted to block Runeberginkatu in order to disrupt the route of the 612 torch procession.
 The "Helsinki without Nazis" protest moving through the city. Tiina Jutila / Yle
 The Independence Day protests are the biggest operation of the year for the Helsinki Police Department. Tiina Jutila / Yle

Far right groups, counter-protestors demonstrate on Independence Day


Summary: The media speculates that Prime Minister Sanna Marin may face a political backlash over missed coronavirus exposure notices.

Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP)  was at the centre of a media storm  after it came to light that she had been clubbing with friends in central Helsinki on Saturday night and missed two messages cautioning her against close contacts with others after possibly being exposed to the coronavirus.
 On Saturday, it was announced that Finnish Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green)  had contracted Covid , was asymptomatic and working remotely.
 In an  email interview with the tabloid Iltalehti  Prime Minister Marin explained that she was given oral instructions that this would not result in quarantine or other special measures, as members of the cabinet had received two vaccinations.
 "This information is in line with THL's general guidelines for citizens, and therefore I did not question it," Marin said
 Late on Saturday evening, government members who had been in meetings with Haavisto were sent two SMS messages telling them to avoid contacts with other people until they had been tested for the virus.
 Prime Minister Marin, however, was not carrying her official cabinet member phone, even though government members are instructed to have it close by at all times.
 Marin continued to party with her husband and friends well into the night at a nightclub in Helsinki.
 Marin told Iltalehti that she did not receive updated information until Sunday. She was then tested. She also pointed out that everyone in her group and in the nightclub had valid Covid passes showing vaccination status.
 The Prime Minister conceded that she could have acted more cautiously.
 "I should have exercised better judgment and also checked the instructions I received twice. I am sorry that I did not understand to do this," Prime Minister Marin concluded.
 A costly mistake?
 Hufvudstadsbladet's editor-in-chief  Erja Yläjärvi  writes in  a Tuesday commentary  that the incident was a very human mistake, but one that may cost Sanna Marin dearly.
 As Yläjärvi points out, Marin's handling of the pandemic has already aroused criticism. Add to that the fact that Finnish people have always wanted a leader who respects the rules - and leaving her official phone at home was simply a catastrophic mistake.
 She points out that by going out to socialise, Marin, being fully vaccinated and having no symptoms, did nothing that thousands of other Finns don't every day.
 "We citizens have every right to demand that the Prime Minister lead by example. But what we demand of Marin - and ourselves - is in the long run quite unsustainable. To always be in crisis, always do even more for safety, always be on the alert. It is as if Sanna Marin is almost openly showing that she is tired, that she does not have the strength to be the leader that Finland should have. Almost like she wants to say "screw it all" and do something else," writes Yläjärvi.
 But, this is a luxury politicians don't have, especially not the prime minister.
 Hufvudstadsbladet's editor-in-chief predicts that the next few days could be difficult for Marin.
 Demonstrations lead to arrests
 Helsingin Sanomat  is among the papers reporting that police detained 21 people in Helsinki on Monday. Of those 19 were taken into custody for violent counter-protests to the "Helsinki without Nazis" march.
 According to police,  Monday's demonstrations in the capital  were mostly peaceful.
 However, a police spokesperson told Helsingin Sanomat that the organiser of the "Helsinki without Nazis" march is now suspected of a breach of laws on public assembly.
 Although a route for the march had been agreed upon with police, the march stopped in the early evening on Runeberginkatu to prevent the far-right 612 torch procession from advancing on the same street. Traffic on the street was stopped in both directions.
 The "Helsinki without Nazis" march drew approximately 1,500 participants. According to the organisers of the event, the purpose of the procession was to show that "there is no place for the far right on the streets" of the capital.
 Electricity prices spiking
 Tampere's  Aamulehti reports  that the price of electricity is expected to show a sharp rise on Tuesday, shooting up to as high as 1,000 euros per megawatt hour on the regional exchange Nordpool.
 The average price on Tuesday is projected at 469 per megawatt hour, which is significantly more than in many other European countries.
 Cold temperatures and low availability of both wind and hydropower have combined to push up prices.
 Households with electricity contracts tied to the exchange price of electricity will see this reflected in billing.
 Discarded masks and pets
 The local Helsinki paper  Helsingin Uutiset  tells the tale of Hertta, a cairn terrier who snapped up and swallowed a face mask some litterbug discarded along a jogging path, causing her severe pain, and costing her owner 1,800 euros in veterinary fees.
 The paper reports that Helsinki's University Veterinary Hospital says that they have seen several similar incidents, as have private veterinary clinics.
 Some dogs, like Hertta, have required major surgery to remove discarded face masks. In some cases, they have been successfully removed by induced vomiting.
 A blockage caused by a foreign object is not in itself a rare diagnosis for dogs, who have been known to swallow socks and toys, but discarded face masks are now one more worry for owners.
 Cold continues
 Independence Day was celebrated in cold conditions all over Finland. The lowest reading this winter, -35.2 degrees Celsius, was measured at Muonio in Lapland on Monday morning.
 According to  Ilta-Sanomat , the beginning of the week will remain very cold, with the chance of snow in eastern areas on Tuesday and Wednesday.
 Lapland will continue to see temperatures of -20 to -30 degrees at least for the next few days.

Tuesday's papers: PM apologises, counter-protesters detained, cold snap continues


A majority of Members of Finland's Parliament are in favour of allowing employers to request that employees show Covid passes at the workplace, according to the results of an Yle survey of legislators.
 Under current regulations, a bar or restaurant can ask a customer for their Covid pass but cannot ask one from the waiter, for example, who is serving them.
 Public health authority THL had hoped that widespread use of the Covid pass would encourage more people to get vaccinated, and the government has indicated that the matter will be discussed with labour market organisations. However, no concrete decisions are expected to be made this year.
 A total of 122 MPs replied to Yle's survey, with 70 saying they were in favour of the move and 33 against. Some 19 MPs were unwilling to reveal their position.
 The results showed that the issue deeply divides parties, especially on the opposition benches.
 The main opposition parties, the National Coalition Party (NCP) and the Finns Party, are at polar opposite ends on the issue, with NCP MPs saying that the right of employers to ask for a Covid pass would be a good way to keep businesses operating and employees healthy.
 Finns Party MPs, however, strongly oppose the possible introduction of the measure, with only one Finns Party respondent indicating that they were in favour. Other members of the party said they were concerned that such a law would divide workers into two camps: vaccinated and unvaccinated.
 Story continues after graphic
 Strongest support among NCP MPs
 Overall, the strongest support for extending the use of the Covid pass to workplaces came from the NCP, with members of the party questioning why the government procrastinated in rolling out the pass during the spring of 2021.
 MP  Ben Zyskowicz  (NCP) pointed out that employers have a responsibility to ensure the health of workers.
 "How can the employer take care of this matter if they do not have the right to be informed about the workers' vaccination status, nor has the right to ask for a Covid passport," Zyskowicz said.
 Support for the use of the pass in workplaces was also widespread among the governing coalition partner the Centre Party, with MP  Hannu Hoskonen  (Cen) saying Finland could learn from the example of Italy.
 "Nobody wants Finland to shut down again. People need services. I don’t understand why we have to take the risk of losing a life or a job," Hoskonen said.
 Among the Social Democratic Party, led by Prime Minister  Sanna Marin , the majority were in favour of the proposal but there were some skeptics in the ranks too, citing concerns about the increasing power of employers.
 MP  Niina Malm  (SDP) said she would first want to find out if introducing the Covid pass to workplaces would then lead to the employer having wider access to the health information of employees.
 "The preparation must take into account the concerns of the employee. This must not become an opportunity for the employer to ask almost anything related to health," Malm said.
 Labour market organisations are also divided on the issue of Covid passes in workplaces.
 Finland's largest blue-collar union SAK has equated the requirement for a Covid passport with compulsory vaccinations, and has asked for further clarification, while white-collar union Akava and the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), which represents employers, would support Covid passes in the workplace.
 Finns Party fiercely oppose
 According to members of the Finns Party that responded to Yle's survey, Covid vaccinations are voluntary and therefore passes should be too.
 Finns Party MP  Juho Eerola  said he was worried about the signals being sent if an employer can start requiring a Covid passport from employees at the workplace.
 "I am not in favour of totalitarianism, or of any signs of it. In addition, many jobs would be left without a worker," he said.
 The opposition Christian Democrats were also concerned about the effects of extending the Covid passport to workplaces, with party chair  Sari Essayah  expressing doubts whether such a move would be constitutional.
 "Restricting the right to work with a Covid passport is sure to run into constitutional problems," Essayah said.

Yle survey: Majority of MPs favour Covid pass for workplaces, Finns Party oppose


Summary: One complaint concerns Marin's use of her official government phone while the second criticises her office's efforts to inform her of the coronavirus exposure.

The Office of the Chancellor of Justice has received two complaints from members of the public over the failure to properly inform Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP) that she had been exposed to the coronavirus.
 Marin has been at the  centre of a media storm  after reports emerged that she had been clubbing with friends in central Helsinki on Saturday night and missed two messages cautioning her against close contacts with others.
 The Prime Minister had been in a meeting with Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green) on Friday, just one day before Haavisto  tested positive  for the virus on Saturday.
 One of the complaints relates to the fact that Marin did not have her official government phone with her in the nightclub, and therefore missed the SMS messages sent by the government's Chief of Security advising cabinet members to self-isolate if they had been in the meeting with Haavisto.
 The second complaint criticises the failure of the Prime Minister's Office to adequately inform Marin about her exposure to the virus.
 Marin left to meet friends in Helsinki city centre despite being informed of Haavisto's confirmed coronavirus infection by her secretary of state at about 7.20pm on Saturday.
 She subsequently  explained to tabloid Iltalehti  that she was given instructions that the potential exposure did not require quarantine or any other special measures, as members of the cabinet had received two vaccinations.
 "This information is in line with THL's general guidelines for citizens, and therefore I did not question it," Marin said.
 The Chancellor of Justice rules on complaints concerning government ministers as well as ministries and other departments, and investigates complaints if they give rise to suspicion of unlawful conduct or failure to fulfill the duties of office.

Chancellor of Justice receives two complaints related to PM Marin's nightclub visit


Summary: Several hundred charter flights are scheduled for arrival in northern Finland in December.

Preliminary statistics indicate that the number of Christmas holiday tourists arriving in Lapland and the Kuusamo region this year is likely to hit pre-Covid levels.
 Sian Porter  arrived from London with her family to spend Christmas in Kuusamo. Being fully vaccinated, travel now is not a matter of concern.
 "We are not afraid of the coronavirus. We are trying to get back to normal, but we are trying to do so safely. You never know," says Porter.
 She is one of many Europeans who are flying to northern Finland on holiday now that charter flights have resumed after the break caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
 Preliminary reservations have been made for the arrival of hundreds of charter flights from all over Europe to the northern region of Kuusamo and airports in Finnish Lapland during the Christmas holiday season.
 Pent-up demand for travel in Europe is being reflected in the fact that even more charter flights to Kuusamo are now expected during the Christmas period than were seen before the pandemic.
 Although  the latest coronavirus variant is being diagnosed in Europe, including in Finland , tourists who have already arrived in northern Finland do not seem to be afraid to travel.
 Tourists welcome in Kuusamo
 Story continues after the photo.
 Kuusamo Health Center has prepared for possible coronavirus cases among tourists in cooperation with local tourism sector operators.
 All charter flight passengers arriving in Kuusamo are being  required to present valid documentation  showing that they have received two coronavirus vaccinations.
 Being from the UK, Sian Porter and her family members will also have to be tested for the virus within two days of returning to their home country.
 More than 80 charter flights will land at Kuusamo Airport alone in December, and there have been no cancellations so far.
 Airport operator Finavia has prepared for the possible spread of the new Omicron variant by, among other things, upgrading cleaning services and instating mask requirements.
 "The new season is being awaited with great joy and confidence," says  Sari Päivärinta , the manager of Kuusamo Airport.
 The number of flights is now slightly higher than in December 2019, but Päivärinta is unwilling predict the future.
 "At least at this stage, there have been no cancellations and hopefully there will be none. Hopefully, the travel situation will remain safe this winter," she adds.
 According to Finavia, the booking situation is currently good in Lapland as well. For example, there are 80 planeloads of tourists booked for arrival at Enontekiö.
 "We are getting about 90 percent of the charter flights to Rovaniemi, Kittilä and Ivalo seen in 2019," explains  Elina Suominen , Finavia's communications coordinator.
 According to Finavia statistics, in December 2019, a total of 724 charter flights arrived in Rovaniemi, Kittilä, Ivalo, Enontekiö and Kuusamo.
 Precautions taken
 Story continues after the photo.
 Jokke Kämäräinen, CEO of  the Kuusamo-based Rukapalvelu travel service, doesn't see the omicron  variant as a reason for panic. Ensio Karjalainen / Yle
 Antti Väänänen , an infectious disease physician at the Lapland Hospital District, is not worried about tourists arriving in the north before and during Christmas.
 He believes that the Omicron variant will become more prevalent in Finland in the future, but he does not see it as posing much risk for Christmas holiday tourism.
 "Vigilance must be exercised and maintained in order to quickly cut off any chains of infection," Väänänen says. Even so, it is possible that some tourists may carry the variant.
 "The program for charter travellers is usually pretty tight and they usually stay largely in their own bubble. Of course, the staff who work directly with them and thus the rest of the population could be in the danger zone," Väänänen points out.
 In Kuusamo, the health centre has prepared for possible infections among by tourists in cooperation with local tourism operators.
 "We have prepared guidelines for businesses in the tourism sector on what to do if a tourist shows symptoms of a coronavirus infection while in Kuusamo. They will pass on this information to visitors," explains  Marika Käkelä , a doctor responsible for infectious control in the area.
 According to  Jokke Kämäräinen , the CEO of the tourism service Tailored Adventures Rukapalvelu, the situation is business as usual.
 "There is no special panic, and I see no reason to panic," says Kämäräinen.
 According to Finnish isolation and quarantine practices, anyone infected with the coronavirus should avoid contact with others until he or she has been asymptomatic for two days, and at least 10 days have passed since the onset of symptoms.
 An infectious disease doctor may order quarantine of an asymptomatic person who has been exposed to the coronavirus, usually for 10 days.
 Anyone who has received a full series of vaccinations will not normally be quarantined after exposure, but will be advised to have a test if they develop symptoms after exposure.
 While both health officials and tourism sector operators are hopeful for a successful holiday season in the north, only time will tell how the new coronavirus situation will impact charter tourism this year.

Strong signs of tourism revival in Finland's north


Summary: The commander of the Defence Forces does not see direct threats to Finland at the moment.

Timo Kivinen , the commander of Finland's defence forces, told Yle's weekend morning talk show that he regards the decision to purchase F-35 fighter jets, announced on Friday, as the best possible deal.
 It's the biggest military procurement in Finnish history, with 64 planes on their way to Finland in the next decade. The selection process took six years from start to finish, including three separate tendering calls, and four rounds of negotiation with the five candidates.
 In the last stage, each bid was scrutinised by working groups composed of a total of around a hundred people. The project's military and financial significance meant everything had to be done thoroughly, and Kivinen says that shows in the final result.
 "The group that has done this, has done great work," said Kivinen. "The money that was used for this [preparation] ensured we got the best package."
 In the final round there were three candidates: the US F-35s and Super Hornets and Sweden's Gripen. The Eurofighter Typhoon and France's Rafale fell before the final hurdle.
 Cost, industrial co-operation and security of supply tests had to be passed for candidates to reach the final round, said Kivinen.
 Overall, the procurement will cost some ten billion euros. Between 2025 and 2030 maintenance will be included in the project cost, and from 2031 the maintenance costs will come out of the Defence Forces' budget.
 "It has the capability to support ground forces, naval forces and far-reaching firepower," said Kivinen. "With this we're getting air to air missiles, later we can consider other things."
 The project won't affect defence co-operation between Finland and Sweden, according to Kivinen.
 "In both countries there is still a political will to deepen co-operation," said Kivinen. "I don't see that the decision would have any effect on that. Sweden is our closest partner. We make operational plans together that we don't make with anyone else."
 Finland's current fighter jets, the McDonnell-Douglas-made Hornets, will be retired starting in 2025. They will mostly be scrapped, according to Kivinen.
 Baltic sea security difficult to anticipate
 Kivine says that the strategic situation in the Baltic Sea is not likely to change for the better in the near future. The situation in Ukraine could have ripple effects in the Baltic Sea region.
 In itself there has been no significant change," said Kivinen. "In this situation, when there is an exceptional buildup on Ukraine's borders, we are following the situation closely."
 The general does not see any military threats directed at Finland at the moment. Russia has concentrated around 100,000 troops on the borders of Ukraine and that has raised interest in Finland as well.
 "If there was open war in Ukraine, it would have ripple effects in the Baltic sea region," said Kivinen.
 Real threat of war in Ukraine
 Russian President Vladimir Putin recently repeated his view that Nato should not expand further to the east.
 Russia's goal looks to be a security arrangement based on 'spheres of influence' in Europe.
 This year Russia has raised and lowered readiness of its forces in the vicinity of Ukraine, and Kivinen says that military action is possible even though all sides would first seek a resolution through negotiations.
 "It is possible that military action will start," said Kivinen. "I would not say that it is already happening, but it is possible. We adjust our own actions accordingly. But nothing like that is happening in the immediate vicinity of Finland."

Finnish general: If war breaks out in Ukraine, it also affects the Baltic Sea


Summary: A company in Turku found that reduced working hours with full pay increased job well-being and employee commitment, but reduced profits to zero.

Employees of Särskild, a Turku-based company which provides child welfare services, worked part-time from the beginning of last June to the end of November. During this six-month period, the working week was trimmed back to 32 hours which could be done over four days if the employee wanted to.
 The experiment was aimed at increasing well-being at work and to test in practice whether it would be possible to move permanently to shorter working hours. Särskild has 15 employees, seven of whom are full-time.
 Towards the end of the pilot, CEO  Jesse Särs  decided to move staff back to full work weeks as of the start of December.
 "The experiment itself was a success, but the realities set in," he says.
 In December, Särskild added assisted living for young people to its range of services. According to Särs, the close support needed in this type of service requires so much in the way of human resources that reduced working hours were no longer be possible.
 Economic factors also weighed heavily in the balance when making the decision.
 "We made a roughly zero profit during the pilot. We need capital to develop new after-sales services. It was not possible to turn a profit with reduced working hours, especially when we want to offer our new services at a cost-effective price," Jesse Särs explains.
 Employee commitment
 Testing shorter working hours at full pay has attracted a lot of attention in an industry where difficulties in coping with work stress and fatigue are common.
 Some of the company's employees say they felt that this investment in personnel had increased their commitment to their employer and increased their well-being at work.
 According to Jesse Särs, the company's workers have understood the need to end the trial.
 "We have not yet had any permanent employees resign, which means that commitment to the company has been good," Särs says.
 Other means
 The firm has has also introduced other means to maintain the well-being of its employees. For example, new workers receive three weeks' paid annual leave even before regular leave benefits have accrued.
 Every Friday, Särskild funds employee activities aimed at maintaining working capacity, and it supports the development of professional skills by paying for in-service training or providing opportunities to study during working hours.
 The company's management has been reduced, and the organisational structure has been kept flat, in line with the wishes of employees.
 Jesse Särs says that Särskild has no had problems recruiting new staff, even though it operates in a sector  suffering a chronic shortage  of skilled labour.
 The Särskild trial was not unique. Reduced working hours has been piloted in several sectors in the past. However, it garnered a lot of attention from politicians, unions and academics because it was the first of its kind in the field of social services.
 Perhaps the best-known call for reduced working hours in recent years came from Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  at the SDP’s 120th anniversary celebrations in August 2019, when she was Minister of Transport and Communications.

Four-day workweek pilot reveals benefits, but also financial risks


Summary: National Police Board data reveals that reports of violent crimes committed by children under the age of 15 have more than doubled since 2014.

Police in Finland are increasingly investigating violent crimes in which the suspects are 15 years old or younger.
 For example, officers in southwest Finland are currently working on a case where two underage boys are suspected of attempting to kill a 17-year-old, as well as two separate cases involving serious violent crimes suspected to have been committed by minors.
 According to the police's latest crime statistics, the highest growth in violent crimes by age group was among under 15-year-olds. The age group has been suspected of involvement in more violent crimes in the first 10 months of this year than during all of last year.
 Furthermore, the data revealed that reports of violent crimes committed by under-15s have more than doubled since 2014.
 Number of assaults nearly tripled
 In general, the number of violent crimes where the suspects are aged between 15 and 17 years old have been gradually falling throughout the 2010s, with the exception of a slight uptick between 2018 and 2020.
 By contrast, the number of violent crimes where the suspects are under 15 has been steadily climbing since 2014.
 "Criminologists do not know exactly what is causing the increase in the police statistics for this age group," according to  Markus Kaakinen , a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Helsinki's Institute of Criminology and Legal Policy.
 Researchers are particularly intrigued by the figures from 2019, when the number of suspected violent crimes committed by both under-15s and those aged 15-17 increased dramatically. Notably, the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent effects on young people and youth marginalisation were not a factor in the increased figures, as the pandemic did not arrive in Finland until the following year.
 "Of course, changes in violent behaviour are possible, but in the same way it is also possible that violence against young people is coming to the attention of the police more often than before," Kaakinen explained, adding that there may be other factors behind the rise in the official figures.
 "This may indicate that there has been covert violence in the past that has not been included in the official statistics," he said.
 The most common type of crime is assault, which since 2014, has undergone a threefold increase in suspects aged below 15 years of age.
 The 'reported suspected crime' is a research tool commonly used in criminology. Although not all reports lead to convictions, they are thought to give the most reliable picture of the actual amount of crime, as most crimes never come to the attention of the police.
 Kaakinen has called for a survey of under-15s about their experiences of violence.
 "Research would be needed to see if this violent behaviour of people under the age of 15 has changed, and what is behind that change," he said.
 Specialist: Relationship with violence has changed
 Chief Physician at the University of Turku  Hannu Lauerma  told Yle he is concerned by the latest statistics on violent crime involving children under 15 years of age.
 "It definitely sounds bad, and such signals should never be ignored. At the same time, however, we must bear in mind that there are considerable difficulties in interpreting violent crime statistics from one decade to the next," Lauerma said, calling for a proper, in-depth investigation to be opened.
 Story continues after the photo.
 Hannu Lauerma, Chief Physician at the University of Turku. Yrjö Hjelt / Yle
 He further noted that a lowering of crime reporting threshold may have been influenced by a number of factors, citing as an example the fact that it is now possible to report law violations online.
 On the other hand, Lauerma added, more attention has been paid to bullying in schools and the general attitude towards violence has changed greatly over the last few decades.
 "In the past, boys' fights were considered to be a completely normative phenomenon, and it did not occur to many people to inform anyone about them," he said.
 However, a study published earlier this year by the University of Helsinki's Institute of Criminology and Legal Policy showed that there are clear indications of an increase in serious acts of violence among young people.
 According to researcher Kaakinen, there is also a clear difference between the under-15-year-olds and older kids.
 "The number of reported victims under the age of 15 has also increased. The same increase has not taken place in the same way for 15–17-year-olds," Kaakinen noted.

Finnish police: Violence among under-15s "significantly increasing"


Summary: The coordination group has called for tightened restrictions — or the use of Covid passes — at places like gyms, swimming halls, museums and events.

The Covid-19 incidence rate in the region of Pirkanmaa is now the third highest in Finland, according to  Janne Laine , an infectious diseases specialist at Tampere University Hospital (TAYS).
 Laine made the statement during a briefing by the Pirkanmaa coronavirus coordination group on Tuesday afternoon.
 The group said that the coronavirus situation in the region of Pirkanmaa was the worst since the epidemic began, noting that 269 new cases were reported on Tuesday, by far the highest-ever daily reading.
 Meanwhile, just over the past seven days the region has diagnosed nearly 1,300 new cases — out of a total of 14,676 since the epidemic began.
 However the new omicron variant has not yet been observed in the region, while at least nine cases of omicron have been reported elsewhere in the country.
 TAYS
 The region's rising cases have started to affect staff at Tampere University Hospital, according to TAYS chief medical officer  Juhani Sand .
 As of Tuesday the hospital was treating 23 Covid patients, six of whom were in intensive care units.
 "Due to the situation, TAYS will have to reduce emergency [surgical] care. Staff members are not simultaneously available for both emergency care and the growing number of coronavirus patients," Sand explained.
 The coordination group also recommended that Covid passes — or epidemic-related restrictions — be implemented at gyms, swimming halls, events and museums in the region.
 According to Finland's communicable disease law, such restrictions would involve mandating safe distancing measures and limiting crowd sizes to about two-thirds of normal capacities. However, venues and establishments that take Covid passes into use could circumvent such restrictions.

Covid group: Situation worsens in Pirkanmaa