Yle has learned that government parties have agreed on a new restriction that would ban singing and dancing inside licensed premises.
The measures would only apply to hostelries located in regions considered to be in the spreading phase of the epidemic.
According to the latest update from the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the Helsinki University hospital district (HUS) as well as hospital districts in the regions of Kanta-Häme, Southwest Finland, Satakunta and Vaasa are currently in the spreading phase.
The restrictions are aimed at reducing human contact within bars and restaurants in order to limit the spread of coronavirus, and especially more contagious variants of the virus.
From a legal perspective, Yle understands that the new measures will not require a major change to the current regulation. However, exact information on when the latest restrictions will come into force is not yet available.
The government is meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss the coronavirus situation at the House of the Estates in Helsinki. Another meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, when updated restrictions on bars and restaurants will be part of the agenda.
No agreement yet on opening hours
Yle’s sources also revealed that officials from different government departments have been discussing a number of options related to introducing further restrictions on bars and restaurants.
One major point of negotiations has been the limiting of opening hours if the coronavirus situation in Finland progresses to phase two.
Helsingin Sanomat reported (external link in Finnish) last week that a proposal to stop serving at 5pm and close doors by 6pm was also under consideration, but no agreement has been reached. Officials have also not yet agreed on a measure further restricting customer capacity within licensed premises.
These measures, if introduced, would only apply to premises located in spreading phase regions, Yle understands.