The practices regarding health examinations at Helsinki's passenger ports changed on Tuesday 1 February when the internal border control regarding boat traffic was lifted.
From February onward, passengers will still 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 will be checked by random sampling. The requirements to show the necessary certificates upon request according to the Communicable Diseases Act are still valid for all passengers arriving in Finland.
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.
The changes 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.
“As the vaccination coverage keeps improving the natural way in the society is to gradually lift the corona restrictions in a health secure way. This also applies to passenger ports. Passengers should not have long waiting times and the journey should continue smoothly also in ports”, says Leena Turpeinen, Director of Health and substance abuse services.
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 be tested is punishable for an adult (Communicable Diseases Act, section 87 a).
Photo: Virpi Velin