Close family members can again visit patients in the Helsinki City Hospitals from 22 February. The recommended length of a visit is 15 minutes. Protective measures must be followed during that time.
A patient can have one visitor once a day. All visits must be agreed on in advance with the staff.
– Even if the coronavirus situation is alarming in Helsinki, the situation in the hospitals has been calm. The vaccination coverage is also continuously improving and making the situation easier. The visits are an important part of the patients’ wellbeing, says the Medical director of Helsinki's hospital services, Laura Pikkarainen.
– It’s very important that visitors follow the protective measures. You can only visit if you are healthy. You must wear a surgical mask during the visit, keep a safe distance and maintain good hand hygiene, says Pikkarainen.
The length of indoor
visits in senior centres, service houses and care homes is extended
Friends and relatives can visit both indoors and outdoors for an hour from 22 February. All the other visiting instructions remain the same.
– The vaccination coverage of the residents is on a good level and that means that we can extend the visiting time to an hour. Our visiting instructions are also in line with the instructions in other municipalities in the capital region, says the service district director, Maritta Haavisto.
– Despite the vaccines the visitors must still strictly follow all protective measures, Haavisto emphasizes.
The visiting instructions at the hospitals, senior centres, service houses and care homes are valid until 30 April.
– We follow the coronavirus situation closely and update the instructions if necessary, says Pikkarainen and Haavisto.
The updated visiting instructions are found on the city’s website.
Picture: Sakari Röyskö
News has been updated on 30th March at 13.40. Visiting instructions are valid until 30 April.