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Helsinki, June 4 (IANS) The Finland government has announced the extension of its Covid-19 travel restrictions from other Schengen countries until June 27.
In a statement on Thursday, the government said that as the virus has continued to spread, Finland does not "yet have adequate measures to replace the restrictions", Xinhua news agency reported
However, air travel to Finland for all work purposes will now be allowed from the Schengen area and from the European Union (EU) member states.
Until now, only essential work-related air travel has been allowed.
Students will be allowed to enter the country for purposes of training included in their studies, the statement said.
However, arrivals by the sea from other EU countries, as well as neighbouring Sweden across the land border remain subject to the current coronavirus travel regime, i.e. they are allowed for essential reasons only.
"Essential work" means work that is important for the functioning of society or the security of supply or for certain specifically defined groups as defined by the government.
Finnish citizens and permanent residents of the country can arrive and depart without restrictions.
Cruise vessels are permitted to call at Finnish ports, but passengers are not allowed to disembark, the statement noted.
Entry restrictions have been lifted earlier for residents of the border communities between Finland and Norway.
Based on an epidemiological assessment, arrivals from Iceland and Malta are now unrestricted.
The Covid-19 situation has improved noticeably in Finland over the past week.
The spread of coronavirus has slowed down in many areas, but significant regional differences remain, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) said.
To date, 45.7 per cent of the country's population have already received the first Covid-19 vaccine dose and 9.9 per cent both doses, according to the THL.
Since the onset of the pandemic early last year, Finland has registered a total of 92,913 confirmed Covid-19 cases, with 959 deaths.
--IANS
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