Coronavirus - current information and instructions

The City of Kaarina is actively following the development of the coronavirus situation. We have already taken anticipatory measures to ensure the safety of our population. As of 18 March, the functions and facilities listed in the Government’s policy recommendations will be closed in Kaarina. Otherwise, our units will continue operating as usual for the time being. The information in this release will be updated as necessary.

We have advised all our units regarding the spread of coronavirus infections (COVID-19). We have informed our personnel about coronavirus and its transmission and reminded them of the importance of proper hand washing and coughing hygiene. In our social services, we follow the guidelines published by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) for the prevention of infectious diseases.

The City of Kaarina has made preparations for coronavirus infections in collaboration with the Hospital District of Southwest Finland (VSSHP). For the purposes of preventing infections, families with children as well as students are advised for changes in day care services and school work. The employees of the City of Kaarina have also been given more specific instructions concerning travelling and remote working.

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 in the evenings and during weekends has been terminated as from May 31.

• The emergency clinic at Kaarina Main Health Station is open Mon-Fri from 8 till 4. The standard emergency clinic will be held separate from the infectious diseases emergency clinic at least until August 31, 2020. Always call the number 02 588 2600 before you leave for the emergency clinic.
• Out of hours please contact Tyks Acute, tel. 02 313 8800.
• Patients with an infectious disease are treated at Kaarina Main Health Station only. No patients having symptoms of an infection are admitted to Littoinen and Piikkiö Health Stations.

Health centre opening hours in summer: 

Kaarina Main Health Station Mon-Fri 8:00-4:00

• X-Rays June 1-August 2 Mon-Thu 8:00-3:30, Fri 8:00-2:00
• Laboratory: those in COVID-19 risk groups by appointment Mon-Fri 7:15-8, others Mon-Fri 8:00-11.00 by appointment. Urgent samples also taken without an appointment, in number order.

Piikkiö Health Station Mon-Fri 8:00-4:00, Fri 8:00-2:00

• Laboratory sample taking in Piikkiö Mon-Thu 8:00-11:00. Closed between June 19 and August 2. As from August 3 open Tue-Thu 8:00-11:00. 

Littoinen Health Station Mon-Thu 8:00-4:00, Fri 8:00-2.00, closed between June 19 and August 2, 2020.

• Maternity and child health clinics will be operating under normal business hours during the whole summer. There are no laboratory services available at Littoinen Health Station.

Ohter health services:

• Child Health Clinics, School and Student Health Care, Speech and Occupational Therapy and Psychologist Services:
• • All these units plan to resume as normal operations as possible during the month of May. As for the child health clinics and school and student health care, missed checkups won’t be given at a later date, with the exception of 4-year and 6-year checkups when the child receives booster vaccines. In case of a health concern the nurse assesses the need for treatment and schedules 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 be accompanied by one guardian only. Please do not come to the appointment if you are feeling unwell!
  • In school health services all visits are by appointment only as to avoid unnecessary queuing in the waiting room. Please contact the nurse via Wilma or by phone.
  • Open child health and maternity clinics have been closed until further notice. Routine checkups and immunizations by appointment only. No groups will resume so far.
  • If the public health situation changes, the operations of the units will be re-evaluated and changes to them announced on the city’s website.
• Dental checkups have started up once again as normal. It is safe to visit the dentist.
• Emergency dental at the Kaarina Main Health Station is open Mon-Fri between 8 am and 4 pm. You need to book a first-aid visit by calling tel. 02 588 2200. 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

• Palvelutori Eerikki has closed its customer service point. The telephone service is available Mon-Thur. from 9 am to 12, tel. 050 512 9150.
• All seniors aged over 80 who are not receiving support and care services will be contacted by our care managers via phone.  
• To home care clients will be sent a letter providing information on the services available. Our in-home care manager will also contact the family carers via phone.
• For information on the grocery and meal delivery services please contact Palvelutori Eerikki, tel. 050 512 9150.
• At nursing homes for the elderly, the residents have an opportunity to meet their loved ones safely by ensuring adequate protection, for example, in an outdoor location or in separate, protected meeting facilities, if arranged. In line with the Government’s recommendation, access to the customer premises of units providing 24-hour care and treatment will generally remain limited to the staff of the unit.  According to the Government, the spread of the epidemic in housing units for people belonging to risk groups still remains a significant risk. 
• For more information about visiting practices, please contact the staff of the nursing home in question. 
• For home care customers and where care is provided by family members, we recommend that relatives and friends contact the person in home care preferably by phone instead of visiting them.
• The day activity units (Hovirinta, Tupasvilla and Värttinä) are closed until further notice.
• For the time being, no new bookings are accepted for temporary care at a care unit (Visiitti, Tupasvilla and Kaarinakoti).
• The gym at Visiitti is closed for the time being.
• The operation of the Family Carer to Home service has been suspended.

Family and social services

• The activity centre Tikli begins a gradual reopening as from June 2.
• Customer meetings will take place as scheduled but remote work tools can be used as a help when necessary.
• To ensure the safety of all parties involved, we contact every customer in advance before meeting them at the office or their home.
• Group meetings begin gradually.
• The helplines of the Services for Families with Children and the Services for Disabled are operating as normal. 

More information

• Medical director, Antti Sandén p. 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

Education

Restrictions on the early childhood education and preschool education will be lifted as of May 14.

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

All early childhood education facilities remain open and the preschool education provided by them continues in operation.

Primary and lower secondary education

Teaching in primary and lower secondary education will continue to be arranged by means of distance learning until May 13. Contact teaching will resume on May 14 in all grades of comprehensive school education.

Further details will be notified via Wilma.

General upper secondary education

Teaching in general upper secondary education will be arranged by means of distance learning, digital learning environments and, if necessary, individual learning until the end of the current school year. The graduation party will not be organized until August. Further instructions will be given via Wilma.

Events, school trips and camp schools

All camp schools, trips and visits, and other travel related to tuition outside the schools have been cancelled until further notice. Neither are visitors are allowed into the schools.    

All education institutions must plan their activities so that non-essential gatherings are avoided. Therefore, sports competitions, discos, parent nights, and other such social events are cancelled until further notice.

Physical education classes take place outdoors, whenever possible. No visits at the swimming pool are arranged.

Sick children and pupils must stay home

Anyone who is sick or having symptoms of illness must stay home from school or daycare and not return until fully recovered. Maintaining proper hand hygiene is extremely important.

Because of the COVID-19 workload, those with symptoms of respiratory infection but in good general condition should not call the helpline. Please see the information on the websites of the health centre and hospital district instead. If your general condition worsens, however, seek medical attention by calling Kaarina City Centre health station.

Sports club Heiluri and play parks

The activities are suspended until further notice.

Information to parents

The schools will keep guardians informed via Wilma. Within early childhood education, information will be provided through the usual channels (Wilma, e-mail 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 and care 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 and care, Päivi Kemppainen, tel. 050 373 2524
• Director of education, Elina Heikkilä, tel. 050 373 2568

Libraries and Kaarina-talo between June 1 and August 31, 2020

Libraries in Kaarina will open their doors to patrons on June 1. To ensure the safety of our patrons and staff, part of the facilities and services are still not available. The reopening of the libraries will be conducted in accordance with government guidelines and the instructions given by the Regional State Administrative Agency. Other premises at Kaarina-talo will be opened on June 1 with certain restrictions, and exhibitions will be displayed again.

Citizen Services Points between June 1 and August 31, 2020

The service centre Fiskari in Kaarina-talo is open Mon 9:00-5:00, and Tue-Fri 9:00-4:00.

The citizen services point at Piikkiö Library is open Mon 10:00-5:00, Tue 10:00-4:00, and Thu 10:00-4:00.

For further information please contact: Ritva Nurminoro, Director of Cultural and Library Services, tel. 050 373 2742.

Youth services in the summertime

• The Nugipagu van is on the route between June 15 and July 24.
• The summer kiosk at Kuusisto Bishop’s Castle Ruins is open between June 2 and July 31.
• Youth clubs will be opened in the end of August

Vuolahti camping site and Harvaluoto camp shelter will be opened on August 1.

Harvaluoto sauna will be opened on June 23.

Adult Education Centre

Adult Education Centre offers no courses during the summer break. Enrollments for the courses in the new work year start on August 28, 2020 at 8:00 am. For further information, please contact Risto Jaakola, Principal, tel. 050 373 2516.

All supervision services for sports and physical education and guided sessions are cancelled for the time being.

Children’s events (Lasten Lystikäs, Mini Lystikäs and Erityislasten liikuntamaat) will be cancelled for the entire spring.

The swimming pool and indoor sports facilities will be reopened with restrictions as from June 1. 

Harvaluoto kiosk will be opened on June 1. Harvaluoto sauna will be opened on June 23.

The traffic playground offers no services because of the COVID-19 restrictions. However, children can ride their own bikes in the area, observing the playground rules and regulations.

More information

• Technical director, Jyrki Haapasaari, tel. 040 507 0238
• Landscape manager, Ossi Vesalainen, tel. 050 373 2414

For the time being the meetings of the municipal authorities will be held as scheduled, mainly through remote connections. The city government recommends that the practice will be continued until August.

It is strongly advised that no one should attend a meeting when ill. If necessary, a substitute member should be invited to attend. Also, proper hand hygiene should be observed. Seminars, workshops and similar events intended for persons of trust will be cancelled.

More information

• Director of administration, Päivi Antola, tel. 050 5415 160
• Mayor Harri Virta, tel. 050 3732 400

Any mail in paper format addressed to the registrar office of the City of Kaarina should be delivered to the service centre Fiskari.

For more information, contact Director of administration, Päivi Antola, tel. 050 5415 160

Changes due to the coronavirus situation:

The Building Control and Environmental Protection office are closed to the public. The staff are available by phone and email from 9 am to 3 pm. Because of the use of remote connections the staff may have a limited access to software programs, which may affect the customer services. All contacts preferably by direct phone numbers or email addresses. Common service number (02) 588 4816.

Limited services: Only necessary surveys are carried out and the surveyor must be allowed to keep a safe distance from attendees. No planning meetings or other such activities will be held. Send the supporting documents preferably to direct email addresses. Alternatively you can use the addresses rakennusvalvonta@kaarina.fi, and ymparisto@kaarina.fi. Documents in paper form can be delivered to the City of Kaarina mailbox (in front of the Oskarintalo, by the side of the parking area and Pyhän Katariinan tie) or through the slot in the door of the Building Control office. The public will not have the possibility to examine documents ordered from the archives.  

Changes due to the summer time:

Building permits

The processing of building permits has been congested and the processing times have lengthened considerably. It is highly probable that applications submitted in June won’t be processed before the autumn.

Surveys

Surveys are carried out with certain limitations, the most necessary building surveys of residential, commercial, and industrial properties being the first priority.

As for other projects, the supervisors in charge can proceed as normal. Incoming requests are registered, and the surveys will be carried out at a time to be notified later. The project may be started provided it has been deemed appropriate by the supervisor in charge and the signed inspection report or other document has been sent to the Building Control office (rakennusvalvonta(at)kaarina.fi).

Building Control office closed

Building Control office is closed between July 11 and August 9, 2020.

• Standby duty number between July 30 and August 7, tel. 050 3732 698 from 9 till 11
• Common service number, tel. 02 588 4816 answers calls as of August 3 from 9 till 3

• The community centre Pontela is closed up till August, but the gym is open to the public. For further information, please contact Päivi Antola, Director of administration, tel. 050 5415 160.
• Bus timetables and information on Föli can be found on the website Föli. As of June 1 the internal routes in Kaarina will be serving according to regular summer timetables.

• 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 COVID-19, contact Kaarina City Health Centre by calling the appointment booking number, tel. 02 588 2600, Mon - Fri from 8 to 4.

When the health centre is closed please contact the joint emergency services of the Turku region, tel. 02 313 8800.

Coronavirus tests are conducted on workdays from 8 to 12 at the drive-in testing station.

Further information:

omaolo.fi

Coronabot

Finnish institut for health and welfare

TYKS - Turku University Hospital