The capital region coronavirus coordination group said at a press conference on Thursday that children come first as they exit coronavirus restrictions in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen.
Outdoor hobbies for people aged 20 and under will be able to resume next Monday. The sports activities must be carried out according to health and safety guidelines already in use.
The four cities in the capital region also announced at the press conference that they see no need to recommend the use of face masks for children under the age of 12. The group considered the recommendation and instructions issued by the group of experts led by Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS) on the benefits of wearing face masks in primary schools.
At the press conference on Thursday, the coordination group also criticised the government's plan to lift corona restrictions on services targeted towards adults, such as restaurants, prior to relieving restrictions on hobbies for children.
The group believes that it is important to not focus only on removing restrictions, but on securing the conditions for the return of services.
For example, mayor of Vantaa, Ritva Viljanen, called for more regulations for those entering Finland from abroad. She wants national rules requiring travellers to present a vaccination certificate, a recent negative corona test or a proof of having recovered from Covid-19.