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

No laboratory sample taking in Piikkiö.

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 March 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 is closed for the public. The gym is only available for group activities under the instruction of a physiotherapist and based on an individual rehabilitation plan.

Family and social services

• Family café Oskariina is temporarily closed as of 3 December 2020.
• 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

At the schools of basic education within the City of Kaarina, the spring term starts with contact teaching. Kaarina Upper Secondary School (Kaarinan lukio) continues with partial distance learning.

Basic education

In the schools of basic education within the City of Kaarina, the first day of the spring term is Thursday, 7 January 2021. The spring term starts with contact teaching. The development of the COVID-19 situation will be continually monitored and, if necessary, exceptional teaching arrangements are taken into use, including partial distance learning. Information about possible changes will be provided through Wilma.

For secondary school students and staff members, the recommendation to wear a face mask during lessons is valid from the start of the spring term. The face mask recommendation also applies to school transportations. In addition, the three principal rules shall be obeyed: taking care of proper hand hygiene, keeping safe distances, and attending school only when healthy.

Kaarina Upper Secondary School

Kaarina Upper Secondary School (Kaarinan lukio) begins the spring term on Monday, 11 January 2021. A hybrid model is applied to the instruction: the students are divided in groups that take alternately part in distance learning and contact teaching. The arrangements are planned and communicated to the students and staff members during week 1 through Wilma.

Particular attention shall be paid to the recommendation to wear a face mask as applicable to the students and staff members from the start of the spring term. In addition, the three principal rules shall be obeyed: taking care of proper hand hygiene, keeping safe distances, and attending school only when healthy. By wearing a mask and observing the hygiene instructions we can safeguard everyone’s health and ensure the smooth progress of the matriculation examinations.

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

We recommend only brief visits to the libraries for all customers. If necessary, we can limit the number of customers on the premises.

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 during the period from 14 December 2020 to 24 January 2021. 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.

1.11.2020-26.2.2021 Citizen service point at Piikkiö Library is open Mon - Fri from 10 am to 2 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 provided by the City of Kaarina are mostly cancelled or arranged online from 14 December 2020 to 10 February 2021. 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

The spring term of the Adult Education Centre (Kansalaisopisto) begins on Monday, 11 January 2021, but only for the courses intended for children and youth. Other activities will be resumed at the start of February.

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 and the Kuntokoulu gym

The community swimming pool and the Kuntokoulu gym will be temporarily closed from 14 December 2020 to 24 January 2021.

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:

• Swimming instruction for school students, evening swimming schools and the training arranged by the swimming club for junior swimmers (under 20 years) continue.
• Children and adults receiving physiotherapy may use the physiotherapy pool.

Gyms and indoor exercise groups

All gyms will be temporarily closed from 14 December 2020 to 24 January 2021.

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

Children’s events (Lasten Lystikkäät, Mini-Lasten Lystikkäät) are cancelled.

Other sports facilities

• Training sessions for junior athletes (under 20 years) may continue, provided that the regional and national instructions are observed.
• The Littoinen Community Centre, Vapari, as well as Piikkiö Sports Hall will be temporarily closed from 14 December 2020 to 24 January 2021.  
• 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 for use by ice swimmers.

Training sessions for juniors (under 20 years) shall be implemented with safe distances and without close contacts. This means, for example, avoidance of close contact exercises in team sports training, gymnastics and martial arts. Outdoor facilities can also be utilised for training.

Recreational, sports and competitive activities

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. 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 will be temporarily closed from 14 December 2020 to 24 January 2021. Any reservations made for this period will be cancelled. 

In Harvaluoto, the sauna will be closed between 14 December 2020 and 24 January 2021.

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

• Administrative Specialist Juuso Alatalo, 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 

Administrative Specialist Juuso Alatalo, 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 or email. 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 by phone or email from 9 am to 3 pm.

• The community centre Pontela and its gym will be temporarily closed from 14 December 2020 to 24 January 2021. For further information, please contact Sinikka Sinervuo-Koskinen, Director of finance, tel. 050 373 9116.
• 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. 

Further information:

omaolo.fi

Coronabot

Finnish institut for health and welfare

Finnish institut for health and welfare - multiple languages

infoFinland

TYKS - Turku University Hospital