City of Jyväskylä intensifies its efforts to protect the local population from the coronavirus

The information provided by the National Institution for Health and Welfare and the developments in other countries suggest that the number of those who catch the infection or are exposed to it will increase over the next few days and weeks. The City is engaged in broad-based cooperation to protect the residents. 

No visits to senior citizens’ residential units in assisted housing facilities

To protect those in the most vulnerable position, the City of Jyväskylä has banned visits to senior citizens’ residential units in assisted housing facilities. Similarly, visitor access to the residential units of disabled services and city hospital wards has been limited, and visitors showing clear flu symptoms may be sent back home. The instructions given for residents are strict: If you have symptoms, stay at home.  

Cancellation of public events more than 500 people

The Government just issued a recommendation to cancel all public events of more than 500 people up to the end of May.

For Jyväskylä, this means that all performances by the City Theatre and Jyväskylä Symphony, among others, are cancelled as of today. Detailed instructions for those who have already bought tickets will be issued next week. Similarly, all events of more than 500 people to be held in the Jyväskylä Pavilion are called off.

The City will monitor service providers’ compliance with the Government’s recommendation to cancel events within the city limits. Residents are advised to look up information on the latest developments on the service providers’ information sites. 

To Jyväskylä residents: What can you do avoid an infection and protect others?

If you have been placed in quarantine or isolation, follow the instructions without fail. If you are quarantined, you cannot go to a shop or school, nor ask friends to stop by. If you need help, turn to the City. 

Maintain good hand hygiene and wash your hands frequently, because the virus is best destroyed by using soap and disinfectant. Proper hand hygiene is an effective way to protect  those around you from the virus. Wash your hands thoroughly using soap and plenty of water as soon as you get home.

If you are down with the flu, stay at home. Do not cough in anybody’s face. Use a handkerchief to cover youth mouth when coughing or cough into your sleeve. Discard all used handkerchiefs right away. 

Do not take even a mildly ill child to see grandparents and do not ask them to look after an ill child.

City of Jyväskylä's quarantine instructions 

City of Jyväskylä is as of 12 March announced instructions for residents placed in a quarantine or isolation. The rules are unambiguous. If you are ordered to quarantine or isolation, you must remain at home. You may not receive visitors nor pay visits to others.

Of course, other family members may not be quarantined or isolated. While they are also advised to be cautious, the prohibitions do not apply to them categorically. 

When in quarantine, you are free to go outdoors as long as you avoid close contact with others. The rule is to keep a minimum distance of 2 metres to other people. When in quarantine, you may not visit indoor premises, such as shops, pharmacies, health stations, workplaces, day-care centres, libraries, restaurants or public events.

If you need groceries or medicines, ask relatives or neighbours for help. Ask them to leave the shopping outside the door. A number of shops in Jyväskylä offer home delivery services. If you use these services when in quarantine or isolation, you are required to pay for the purchases in advance and agree that the shopping is left outside your door. Pharmacies too offer online store services. 

If it is not possible to organise food supply and pharmacy services with the help of neighbours or relatives, or if you are a parent and fall ill and need help with child care, contact the Jyväskylä City central service desk and ask for help. 

Advice for those in quarantine is available 8–16 Monday-Friday at 014 266 0550. (If possible, call during office hours). At other times, help is available at the social services on-call number 014 266 0149. 

If you have any health-related questions while in isolation or quarantine, or a change takes place in your health or the health of a relative, contact the attending physician as instructed.

City of Jyväskylä will tighten its travel regulations and will no longer receive groups of visitors

The City has ordered that every city employee returning from abroad will report to their supervisor and stay quarantined at home for one week.  For the time being, City personnel will not travel abroad on official business. At the same time, domestic travel will be limited. 

All trips by pupils and other school personnel outside Finland scheduled for this spring will be cancelled. Similarly, domestic field trips, camp schools and participation in competitions are cancelled. 

The City will not receive groups of visitors from abroad until further notice. Visits by domestic groups will, if possible, be postponed in consultation with the organiser. The City is prepared to increase teleworking and is currently testing remote communications in the various services. 

All city-organised public occasions and events will be postponed to a later date. For example, the City will cancel all the events scheduled for 16–23 March to celebrate its anniversary.