The practices regarding health examinations at Helsinki's passenger ports changed on Friday 5 November. As passenger numbers increase, there is a desire to streamline passenger traffic.
All passengers, including those arriving by car, will henceforth be classified into two lines, green and red. The passenger must choose the right line.
The green line is to be chosen by passengers with a certificate of full vaccination or a certificate of having contracted COVID-19 within the last 6 months. In the green line, passenger certificates are checked by random sampling.
The changes for November for ship passengers do not apply to cargo traffic and logistics personnel on work assignments, or cruise passengers who have departed from Finland and have not disembarked at any stage. They can still use the green line.
The red line is to be chosen by arriving passengers on foot who do not have the above certificates.
In the car lane, motorists with a negative test certificate or a certificate of an inadequate vaccination series also have access to the green line. If there is one person in the vehicle who belongs to the red line, the red line is to be selected.
“As vaccination coverage increases, we can further streamline port health examinations. As passenger numbers rise, it is important to ensure that terminals and car parks are not congested in a way that endangers safety. Vaccinated passengers should also not have too long waiting times and should be able to continue their journey smoothly,” comments Director of Health and substance abuse services Leena Turpeinen.
Who must be tested for COVID-19 after 72 hours of entering the country?
If your vaccination series is incomplete, you have tested negative for COVID-19 (tested within the previous 72 hours) or you have entered the country without any certificate, you must be tested between 72 and 120 hours after entering the country. Neglecting to get tested is punishable for an adult (Communicable Diseases Act, section 87 a).