Traffic light model to guide travellers

Finland on Wednesday introduced what it called a ‘traffic light’ model to help people assess the risk of coronavirus infection associated with travelling abroad.

The model was unveiled at a press conference on Wednesday that focused on coronavirus vigilance at the border and was addressed by officials from the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the Ministry for Health and Social Affairs, and the Ministry of the Interior.

The model divides countries into three categories: those with a similar or better coronavirus situation to Finland are green ones, those that are a bit worse are orange, and those that are significantly worse are red, said a THL press release.

The model, however, will not replace the border decisions made by the government which must be taken into account when travelling.

Health authorities may check the medical status of those arriving from orange and red countries.

The model divides countries into three categories according to their current incidence of coronavirus:

The risk of infection in countries in the green category is not significantly greater than in Finland. There the COVID-19 incidence is below the limit stipulated by the government (less than 8-10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per 14 days)

The risk of infection in countries in the orange category is greater than in Finland. There the COVID-19 incidence exceeds the limit set by the government. The incidence is 10-25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per 14 days.

The risk of infection in countries in the red category is considerably higher than in Finland, or the risk cannot be reliably assessed. There the COVID-19 incidence is very high, with more than 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per 14 days

A voluntary quarantine is recommended for people arriving in Finland from orange and red countries.

The health status of those arriving in Finland from these countries may also be assessed at the border.

“Finns or people living in Finland also travel to countries where the epidemic is worse than it is in Finland. Visiting such a country can increase your risk of getting a coronavirus infection compared to staying in Finland,” said THL Director Mika Salminen.