Government to work remotely due to possible coronavirus exposure

The entire Finnish government has switched to work remotely as a precautionary measure after two ministers learned they have been exposed to the virus.

The Parliament has been already informed of the situation.

According to the Government Communications Deparment, Minister of Social Affairs and Health Aino-Kaisa Pekonen and Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen may have been exposed to the coronavirus on Tuesday 5 May and will therefore begin self-isolating.

The ministers were in the same space as a person suspected of having contracted the coronavirus.

The person was tested today, Thursday 7 and the result of the test will be available within two days.

Yesterday, on Wednesday 6 May, the Government held a meeting at the House of the Estates, where Ministers Pekonen and Haatainen were also present. The negotiations were held in different rooms linked via remote connection, but there were individual contacts between the ministers outside the meeting.

For this reason, the Prime Minister Sanna Marin has decided that, as a precaution, all ministers will switch to remote work until at least the end of this week. The Government will continue its work normally using remote connections.