Home quarantines help prevent the spread of the coronavirus

The aim of quarantines is to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The quarantines have been effective as, in spite of exposures, the coronavirus has not spread in schools and early childhood education units. Schools and early childhood education units have been able to stay open while maintaining a high level of hygiene and following the recommendations.

“Even after exposures, most children remain healthy during the quarantine period. I hope that our residents focus on following official recommendations so that children and young people can stay in early childhood education units and schools and we don’t have to close our society as extensively as we did in the spring of 2020,” says Espoo’s Director of Education and Cultural Services Harri Rinta-aho.

“I want to thank the City of Espoo Social and Health Services and our schools and early childhood education for their good work in contact tracing. I also wish to thank guardians, children and young people for their cooperation,” Rinta-aho says.

In general, the number of further infections has been low in relation to the total number of infections and the number of exposure situations. During the past two weeks, 4% of the infected persons in Espoo contracted the virus in early childhood education and educational institutions such as comprehensive schools, upper secondary schools (Omnia and general upper secondary schools) and universities (situation on 2 December).Timely quarantines have largely prevented the spread of the virus.

In most exposure situations, no further infections have been diagnosed. The family members of infected persons are placed in quarantine and advised to get tested if they have even the slightest symptoms.

*Figures for week 48 (23–29 November 2020)