Finland has announced that from July 12 it will allow entry for fully vaccinated tourists without testing and quarantine.
To miss the COVID-19 travel restrictions, visitors must present a vaccination certificate – either an EU digital COVID-19 certificate or an approved medical certificate – upon arrival in Finland. Vaccines approved by the Finnish Ministry of Health include Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinopharm, Covishield and CoronaVac.
Those who have received only one vaccinated dose can still visit Finland, but they must be tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours of leaving. Unvaccinated tourists can also visit, but they will need to take a pre-departure test and a post-arrival test. Those who can prove that they have had COVID-19 in the last six months and have been cured of the virus are allowed to enter it without testing.
The new measures will be reviewed every two weeks and will apply to people traveling from EU and Schengen countries, as well as those arriving from places outside these areas, which are classified as low-risk groups (where the incidence of COVID -19 low). These include Australia, Hong Kong, Israel, China, Malta, Poland, New Zealand and Singapore.
All other travelers must be tested for COVID-19 as soon as they arrive in Finland, isolate themselves and take a second test between three and five days after arrival. This includes arrivals from the US and the UK.
The Finnish government said on Tuesday that it was easing travel restrictions after more than a year of tight border and internal controls to curb the spread of COVID-19. Hotels and attractions operate throughout the “happiest country in the world,” while restaurants, cafes and bars operate indoors and outdoors. They can usually remain open until midnight, but opening hours may depend on the area with local restrictions.
The number of infections in Finland has been rising in recent weeks, but Reuters reports that it remains among the countries least affected by COVID-19. According to the Finnish Ministry of Health, 60% of eligible adults received the first dose of the vaccine and 21.4% the second.