Coronavirus - current information and instructions

The City of Kaarina is actively following the development of the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. We have taken anticipatory measures to ensure the safety of our population.

The information in this release will be updated as necessary. Otherwise, our units will continue operating as usual for the time being.

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The following changes in the social and health services are intended to protect the elderly and those with underlying diseases.

Health services

• The emergency clinic at Kaarina Main Health Station is open Mon-Fri from 8 am to 4 pm. The standard emergency services are separate from the infectious diseases emergency services.  Always call tel. 02 588 2600 before leaving for the emergency clinic. 
• In COVID-19 related matters, you can take the online symptom check-up at Omaolo.fi or seek advice by calling tel. 02 588 2600 (appointments and counselling).
• Patients with symptoms of an infection are treated at Kaarina Main Health Station only. No patients with symptoms of an infection are admitted to Littoinen or Piikkiö Health Stations.
• Out of hours, please contact Tyks Acute, tel. 02 313 8800.

Health centre opening hours 

Kaarina Main Health Station Mon-Fri 8:00 am–4:00 pm

• X-ray: Mon-Thu 8:00 am–3:30 pm, Fri 8:00 am–3:00 pm
• Laboratory: Those in COVID-19 risk groups, Mon-Fri 7:15–8:00 am by appointment; other patients Mon-Fri 8:00–11:00 am by appointment. Urgent sample taking also without an appointment, by queue number.

Piikkiö Health Station Mon-Thu 8:00 am–4:00 pm, Fri 8:00 am–2:00 pm.

Littoinen Health Station Mon-Thu 8:00 am–4:00 pm, Fri 8:00 am–2:00 pm.

•  No laboratory sample taking in Littoinen.

Visits to patients at hospital

Due to the increasingly difficult COVID-19 pandemic situation in Southwest Finland, visiting patients at the Kaarina hospital wards is not allowed for the time being. 

Visiting patients in hospice care

Please contact the staff in advance:: 

• Ward 1, tel. 02 588 2300
• Ward 2, tel. 02 588 2310

Instructions for visitors during the coronavirus epidemic

• To visit a patient, you must be healthy and without symptoms
• Ensure proper hand hygiene 
• Keep a safety distance of 1–2 meters from other patients and staff members
• It is recommended that you use a surgical nose and mouth mask during the visit
• Don’t unnecessarily move around in common areas but go directly to the patient room or, if possible, an outdoor terrace.

Other health services

Child health clinics, school and student health care, speech and occupational therapy and psychologist services

All these units provide services as usual. Within the child health clinics and the school and student health care, missed checkups will not be given at a later date, with the exception of 4-year and 6-year checkups, when the child receives booster vaccines. If the guardian or the child/youth is particularly concerned of a specific matter, the nurse will assess the need for care and treatment, and book an appointment accordingly.

• In order to minimize the risk of contagion, we are continuing our efforts to reduce the volume of patients in our facilities. For this reason, patients should come to visits alone, if possible, and children should be accompanied by one guardian only. Both parents are welcome to the maternity clinic and visits with the newborn baby. Please do not come to the appointment if you are feeling unwell!
• Within school health services, all visits are by appointment only to avoid unnecessary queuing in the waiting room. For an appointment, please contact the nurse via Wilma or by phone.
• Open child health and maternity clinics are not in operation until further notice. Routine control checkups and immunizations are by appointment only. Group activities will not be resumed yet.
• If the coronavirus situation changes, the operation of the unit will be re-evaluated and any changes are announced on the website of the City of Kaarina.

Dental checkups are again being done as usual. It is safe to visit the dentist or oral hygienist. Emergency dental care is available at the Kaarina Main Health Station Mon-Fri 8:00 am–4:00 pm.  You need to book an appointment by calling tel. 02 588 2200. Emergency dental care is for first aid treatment only. Please let us know if you have flu symptoms or if you have been exposed to someone who is ill with COVID-19.

Services for the elderly

• The service point of Palvelutori Eerikki is open for customers on Mondays from 9 am to 2 pm and Tue-Thu from 9 am to 12 noon. Telephone service is available during the opening hours. Palvelutori Eerikki has cancelled all its events until 31 May 2021.
• Memory counsellors’ telephone service is available on Tuesdays from 9 to 11 am, tel. 050 314 6155.
• Housing coordinators’ telephone service is available on Wednesdays from 9 to 11 am at tel. 050 314 5229 (Sanna Fränti) and tel. 050 373 2420 (Sari Kulta). 
• Online information is available on grocery, pharmacy and meal delivery services, but you can also contact Palvelutori Eerikki for information (tel. 050 512 9150). These services are provided by several companies. 
• The regional counselling telephone service for the elderly is available Mon-Fri 9 am–3 pm, tel. 02 262 6164.
• As regards nursing homes for the elderly, a new instruction concerning the visiting practices has been drawn up on the basis of the guidelines issued by Valvira and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). For more information about the visiting practices, please contact the staff of the nursing home in question.
• The wellbeing activities (‘Hyvinvointitori’ at Hovirinta, Tupasvilla, Värttinä and Piikkiökoti), and open day activities are suspended.
• The rehabilitative day activities at Hovirinta, Tupasvilla and Värttinä continue.
• The gym at Visiitti will be closed for public until 25 April 2021. The facilities at Visiitti can be used for physiotherapy and similar activities, as specified in an individual rehabilitation plan aimed to maintain one’s functioning ability.

Family and social services

• Family café Oskariina is temporarily closed.
• The Kanssasi sun (‘Together with you’) lectures are postponed to a later date.
• Customer meetings are held normally, and remote work tools are used when necessary.
• The activity centre Tikli provides work and day activities as well as rehabilitative work activities. In all activities, we comply with the guidelines issued by the Finnish institute for health and welfare (THL) and the Hospital District of Southwest Finland regarding the prevention of infectious diseases.
• Staff members shall wear a face mask or visor when meeting with customers. It is recommended that customers also wear a mask during meetings.
• The counselling telephone numbers for the family and social services are operating as normal.

More information

• Medical director, Antti Sandén tel. 050 430 2135
• Director of elderly services, Seija Sjöblom, tel. 050 373 2526
• Director of family and social services, Emilia Heikkilä, tel. 050 373 2563
• Director of social and health services, Mikko Pakarinen, tel. 050 512 9270

Schools

Within the basic and general upper secondary education, contact teaching is the primary option. Distance learning and other exceptional teaching arrangements are possible if the epidemic so requires. The situation will always be assessed by the infectious disease authority.

The development of the coronavirus situation will be continually monitored, and any changes to teaching arrangements will be communicated primarily through Wilma.

Basic education

Within basic education, contact teaching will be resumed as of 12 April.

In addition, to prevent coronavirus infections at school, it is important to pay attention to proper hand hygiene, keep safe distances and attend school only when healthy. If you have any symptoms at all, you should take a coronavirus test.

The recommendation to wear a face mask is valid for students in grades 4–9. The face mask recommendation also applies to public transport services. Staff members shall wear a face mask or visor.

Kaarina Upper Secondary School

The hybrid model will be applicable, and the groups take alternately part in distance learning and contact teaching in Kaarina Upper Secondary School (Kaarinan lukio) as of 12 April. More information about the arrangements will be provided through Wilma.

To prevent coronavirus infections at school, it is important to pay attention to proper hand hygiene, keep safe distances and attend school only when healthy. If you have any symptoms at all, you should take a coronavirus test.

The recommendation to wear a face mask is valid for upper secondary school students. Staff members shall wear a face mask or visor.

Early childhood education

The guardians of children in early childhood education and preschool education will be informed of the details via Wilma and email.

All early childhood education facilities are open, and the preschool education provided by them is in operation.

Information

The schools will keep guardians informed via Wilma. Within early childhood education, information will be provided through the usual channels (Wilma, email and phone).

More information

• Principal of the particular educational unit (in matters related to your child’s school)
• Manager of the particular early childhood education unit; family day care managers (in matters related to your child’s day care)
• Head principal (acting), Emmi Virtanen, tel. 050 471 0874
• Director of early childhood education, Päivi Kemppainen, tel. 050 373 2524
• Director of education, Elina Heikkilä, tel. 050 373 2568

Libraries and Kaarina-talo

Library services are limited to ensure the safety of customers and staff members until 25 April. A maximum of 10 persons can visit the libraries at a time. We recommend only brief visits to the libraries for all customers.

The use of a face mask is recommended at libraries. Please remember to observe safe distances and proper hygiene as well.

More information about the services and opening hours of the libraries is available here (in Finnish).

Premises at Kaarina-talo are not available for reservation. Information related to Kaarina-talo will be updated on Kaarina-talo’s own pages (in Finnish).

For further information, please contact Ritva Nurminoro, Director of cultural and library services, tel. 050 373 2742

Citizen Service Points

Citizen service point Fiskari in Kaarina-talo is open Mon from 9 am to 7 pm, and Tue-Fri 9 am to 4 pm.

Citizen service point at Piikkiö Library is open Mon from 12 noon to 7 pm, and Tue - Fri from 10 am to 4 pm.

Events and activities

Public events offered by the City of Kaarina will be arranged as online events or self-driven activities until live gatherings are again allowed. The online event calendar shows the manner of arrangement or possible cancellation for each event.

The City of Kaarina will arrange and contribute to events and activities on a case by case basis and in compliance with the currently valid recommendations.

All cultural events of the City of Kaarina will be arranged with due consideration for safe distances in terms of seating and programme. Please do not take part in any event if you have even the slightest flu symptoms.

Adult Education Centre

• Courses based on distance learning may start on 1 February 2021.
• Courses for adults based on contact teaching as well as adult-child groups are cancelled for spring 2021.
• Courses for children and youth, in which part or all of the participants are born in 2007 or earlier, will be suspended until 25 April.

All relevant instructions issued by the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the Regional State Administrative Office (AVI) will be observed.

We have made and will continue to make any arrangements necessary to prevent the spreading of the virus for our part. Particular attention is paid to the cleaning and hand hygiene in our educational facilities, and we have also limited the number of participants in courses. If necessary, teaching methods will be adjusted. These measures will help us to provide safe facilities and practices to meet the needs of different courses.

We hope all our course participants observe proper hand hygiene and only attend classes when healthy.

For further information, please contact Risto Jaakola, Principal, tel. 050 373 2516.

Community swimming pool

The community swimming hall is closed for public until 25 April.

No baby swimming is arranged.

The following activities are permitted in the community swimming pool, provided that the gathering restrictions issued by the Regional State Administrative Agency (AVI) are observed:

• Only swimming instruction, evening swimming schools and swimming club training for those born in 2008 or later are allowed.
• Children and adults receiving physiotherapy may use the physiotherapy pool.

Gyms and indoor exercise groups

The gyms are closed until 25 April.

In the indoor sports facilities, all guided groups for adults arranged by the City of Kaarina are cancelled.

During the period from 8 March to 25 April, group training in indoor facilities is only allowed for those born in 2008 or later. Close contacts must be avoided in training.

Children's events (Lasten Lystikkäät, Mini-Lasten Lystikkäät) are cancelled for spring 2021.

Other sports facilities

• Group leisure activities in outdoor facilities are allowed for persons born in 2001 or later. Training sessions shall be implemented avoiding actual close contacts and ensuring safe distances.
• During the period from 8 March to 25 April, those born in 2008 or later may continue training in all sports facilities.
• During the period from 8 March to 25 April, Littoinen community centre, Vapari, Piikkiö sports hall and the sports facilities at schools can be used for training by only those who are born in 2008 or later.  
• The service buildings of the Central Sports Park of Kaarina (Keskusliikuntapuisto) and the Littoinen sports field will be temporarily closed.
• The Hovirinta seaside sauna is closed.

Recreational, sports and competitive activities

Leisure activities are only allowed for youth born in 2008 or later. Training sessions shall be implemented with safe distances and without close contacts. This means avoidance of close-contact training in, for example, team sports, gymnastics and martial arts. Outdoor facilities can also be utilised for training. 

It is advisable not to arrange any such sports events or competitions that involve participation across the regional borders of Southwest Finland. This recommendation concerns all age groups and all individual or team sports and competition events both in indoor and outdoor facilities.

The recommendation does not, however, concern training and competition events of Finnish national teams or at the Finnish Championship or 1st division levels.

This recommendation is valid as of 28 November 2020 until further notice.

More information

• Sports Services manager, Tapio Svärd, tel. 050 373 2434
• Landscape manager, Ossi Vesalainen, tel. 050 373 2414

Youth facilities and clubs are open with limitations. A maximum of 10 persons are allowed on the premises at a time.

You may attend youth clubs only when healthy. If you have even the slightest symptoms suggesting a coronavirus infection, you must stay home and go to a test.

At youth facilities, wearing a face mask and observing safe distances is recommended. Wash or sanitize your hands upon entry.

If necessary, youth workers may limit the number of people on the premises in order to maintain safe distances.  No food shall be prepared in the youth facilities, and no excursions are arranged.

Vuolahti camping area is temporarily closed. Any reservations made for this period will be cancelled. 

In Harvaluoto, the sauna is temporarily closed.

For further information, please contact Risto Jaakola, Principal, tel. 050 373 2516.

Administrative meetings

The City Board has recommended that virtual meetings be continued for the time being. The chair of each particular administrative body shall decide on the method of meeting and decision-making and state it in the summons. If administrative bodies meet face to face, sufficient safety distances in the meeting room as well as proper hand and coughing hygiene must be ensured.

More information

• Juuso Alatalo, Director of administrative services, tel. 050 310 0092
• Mayor Harri Virta, tel. 050 3732 400

Registrar office and City offices

Any documents addressed to the registrar office of the City of Kaarina should be delivered to the citizen service centres during their opening hours. It is also possible to send documents to the registrar office by mail (addressed to PL 12, 20781 Kaarina) or email (kirjaamo@kaarina.fi). 

City archives 

Data service requests to the archives of the City of Kaarina should primarily be sent via mail or e-mail. The provision of documents for viewing is restricted for the time being. To contact the City archives, please send an e-mail to kaupunginarkisto(at)kaarina.fi.

Further information 

Juuso Alatalo, Director of administrative services, tel. 050 310 0092.

Building control and environmental protection

Changes due to the coronavirus situation 

The Building Control Office is closed for customers due to the coronavirus situation. You can contact us by phone, email or virtually. To submit a building permit application for processing, please insert the application and related materials through the letter box on the Office door during the office hours, or hand in the materials to the citizen service points in Kaarina-talo (Fiskari) or at Piikkiö Library. 

The processing of building permits is congested, and the processing times are significantly longer than normally.

Surveys are carried out with certain limitations, and the surveyor must be allowed to keep a safe distance from other attendees.

Possibilities to view documents requested from the archives are limited.

The Environmental Protection Office is closed for customers. Customer service is available virtually, by phone or email from 9 am to 3 pm.

• The gym and other premises for leisure activities at Pontela are closed until 25 April.
• For further information, please contact Päivi Antola, Director of Administration, tel. 050 541 5160.
• Bus timetables and other information on Föli are found at the Föli website 

• Current information on coronavirus (THL)
• Frequently asked questions about coronavirus (THL)
• National telephone service for general advice on the coronavirus by phone: tel. 0295 535 535
  • The telephone service is open on weekdays from 8 am to 9 pm and Saturdays from 9 am to 3 pm.
  • This telephone service does not provide health counselling or guidance concerning acute symptoms that require emergency care.

Hand washing and coughing hygiene (THL) 

If you suspect you have a coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, we recommend that you first perform the online symptom check-up at Omaolo.fi.  If this is not possible, please call the appointment booking number of Kaarina City Health Centre.

In the Omaolo.fi service, you can make a coronavirus symptom assessment. You can use the symptom checker without logging in but if you wish to send your symptom assessment to health care professionals, you need to log in using online banking codes, a mobile certificate or certificate card. If you forward your symptom assessment to health care professionals, you will be contacted via the Omaolo service.

If it is not possible for you to use the Omaolo symptom checker, please contact Kaarina City Health Centre by calling the appointment booking number, tel. 02 588 2600, Mon–Fri from 8 am to 4 pm, Sat–Sun from 8.30 am to 2 pm.

When the health centre is closed, please contact the Turku joint emergency service, tel. 02 313 8800.Samples for coronavirus tests are taken at Kaarina Main Health Station, by appointment, on weekdays Mon–Fri from 8 am to 3 pm and on weekends Sat–Sun from 8.30 am to 2 pm. The sampling point is in front of the Health Station in a container that can be reached on foot or by car. Note! An appointment is required to receive the referral. Use the Omaolo checker or call to make an appointment. 

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