Kirsi Varhila, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, reacted at a news conference in Helsinki on Thursday, 6 August 2020. (Roni Rekomaa – Lehtikuva)

THE QUARANTINE INSTRUCTIONS provided to people who have been exposed to the new coronavirus will be tightened as authorities continue to prepare for a possible second wave of the epidemic in Finland, reveals Kirsi Varhila, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Varhila on Thursday outlined in a press conference that the instructions will be updated to make sure people exposed to the virus really stay at home until their test results come back.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Social Democratic Party continues to keep other parties at bay, shows a new opinion poll by YLE. (John Thys – AFP/Lehtikuva)

POPULAR SUPPORT for the Social Democratic Party has risen to a record-high level, according to the latest opinion poll commissioned by YLE.

The public broadcasting company reported this morning that the centrepiece of the coalition government rose by 1.5 percentage points from the previous month to 23.4 per cent, a level that is almost six points higher than its vote share in the parliamentary elections of 2019.

Krista Kiuru (SDP), the Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services, views that mask use must be in the government’s tool set in case of a second wave of coronavirus infections. (Vesa Moilanen – Lehtikuva)

KRISTA KIURU (SDP), the Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services, has promised a variety of measures to mitigate the possible second wave of the coronavirus epidemic.

Kiuru on Wednesday told Helsingin Sanomat that the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has been asked to draw up a recommendation for the use of face coverings and ramp up the testing capacity.

The remote work recommendation is back on the government’s table only days after it was lifted, says Aino-Kaisa Pekonen (Left Alliance), the Minister of Social Affairs and Health. (Markku Ulander – Lehtikuva)

THE GOVERNMENT of Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) will re-examine the need for its recommendation on remote work in light of the recent increase in coronavirus infections, tells Aino-Kaisa Pekonen (Left Alliance), the Minister of Social Affairs and Health.

“The increase in infection numbers gives reason to examine the need to continue remote work at workplaces where it’s possible,” she outlined on Twitter on Wednesday.

MOST SENIOR MEMBERS of the Green League are prepared to abandon the ruling coalition if it fails to make decisions on concrete climate actions in its budget session scheduled for September, reveals a survey conducted by YLE.

YLE on Saturday revealed that only 16 per cent of respondents viewed that the party should stay in the government even if the five ruling parties failed to agree on climate actions.

Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä (Centre) attended a joint meeting of the Centre’s working committees and ministerial group in Nokia, Pirkanmaa, on 4 August 2020. (Kalle Parkkinen – Lehtikuva)

MINISTER OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS Mika Lintilä (Centre) has floated the possibility of extending the financial support offered to businesses to compensate for the costs and loss of revenue inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The so-called business cost support was adopted as the primary means to help businesses in place of development subsidies granted by Business Finland and ELY Centres in July.

A total of 12 people were detained last weekend on probable cause of murder by the District Court of Helsinki. (Mikko Stig – Lehtikuva)

A TOTAL OF 12 PEOPLE were detained last weekend on probable cause of murder by the District Court of Helsinki.

The murder is believed to have taken place in Helsinki between Tuesday, 28 July, and Wednesday, 29 July, with the police bringing each of the 12 suspects into custody during the course of Wednesday.

Shoppers playing slot machines in a mall in Helsinki / Lehtikuva

Over the past few years, the hidden battle between government-owned company Veikkaus and online casino providers oftentimes operating from Malta has become more intense. Both sides have taken extra measures in order to offer better services. Yet, Veikkaus has been facing criticism over its more aggressive marketing acts and the placement of slot machines in more deprived areas of Finland.

Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) currently expects its fare revenue to fall about 30 per cent short of expectations in 2020. (Hanna Matikainen – Lehtikuva)

THE FINANCIAL STRUGGLES of Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) may result in increases in fares, cuts in services or increases in municipal contributions, tells Jonne Virtanen, the director of route network and timetable planning at HSL.

“I’m certain that all of the said options will be on the table when the time comes to make the decisions,” he confirmed on Sunday.

A mailbox by a rural road in Sotkamo, Kainuu, on 5 July 2020. (Emmi Korhonen – Lehtikuva)

THE CONCERNS AND UNCERTAINTY kindled by the coronavirus epidemic have resulted in a surge in the number of people moving away from urban toward rural regions in Finland, reports Helsingin Sanomat.

Experts pointed to the phenomenon as a possibility already as the country was witnessing the peak of the first wave of infections in April.