HELSINKI (FINLAND) – Finland must extend its closure of restaurants and bars until April 18 to handle the spread of coronavirus, said the government said late on Monday. It was added that it will propose the measure to its parliament on Tuesday.
Bars and restaurants were shut down for customers, allowed to give takeaway meals as part of a three-week lockdown slated to come to an end on March 28. It was aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 infections in the Nordic country.
The plans of an extension, a result of negotiations between parties in Finland’s majority government, is to obtain a majority in parliament.
Four regions will be excluded from the restriction however, as their epidemic situation becomes better, said the government in a statement.
According to the Finnish Health Institute, it has recorded 72,073 infections, 808 deaths and now has 306 people undergoing medical treatment due to COVID-19.
