Those travelling by ship from Estonia to Helsinki will be offered coronavirus testing during their voyage between 15 and 17 January. The aim is to make testing as easy as possible for the passengers. The test is recommended for every passenger on board.
In order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and virus variants, it is important to ensure health safety at Finnish borders. For this reason, Helsinki has been offering coronavirus guidance at all its harbours since August 2020, and passengers have been offered low-threshold referrals for coronavirus testing.
At the harbours of Helsinki, coronavirus testing has also been offered on site twice last autumn and twice this year in January. However, only a fraction of passengers have taken the voluntary coronavirus test.
Based on current legislation, passengers cannot be required to take the test upon arrival in Finland. Despite this, Helsinki will increase voluntary testing at harbours and offer those travelling from Estonia to Finland an opportunity for coronavirus testing on board from 15 to 17 January.
‘We want to make coronavirus testing as easy as possible for passengers. This is why we offer passengers the opportunity for testing on board. During the trip, passengers have more time for testing than after arriving at the harbour, when they may already be in a hurry to continue their journey,’ says Leena Turpeinen, Director of Health and Substance Abuse Services at the City of Helsinki.
‘It is important to inform passengers that if they have even minor symptoms indicative of a coronavirus infection, they should not travel. Instead, they should get tested in their home country,’ Turpeinen points out.
Finentry streamlines arrival in Finland
Those travelling to Finland can receive information about the coronavirus situation in Finland conveniently and free of charge and make an appointment for a coronavirus test before entering the country using the Finentry service. The service offers information on the testing practices and quarantine required in Finland due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The service allows you to
- make an appointment for a coronavirus test in Finland
- receive instructions for arrival to the test by text message
- receive a text message about the result of the coronavirus test.
Further information: https://www.finentry.fi(Link leads to external service) and the Port of Helsinki website(Link leads to external service)
Helsinki has organised coronavirus guidance and testing opportunities for passengers at harbours in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, HUS, Port of Helsinki, the Finnish Border Guard, Finnish Customs and shipping companies.