Finland should continue to ease coronavirus restrictions to hasten the return of society back to normality, according to the Minister of Science and Culture Antti Kurvinen (Cen).
Speaking on Yle's breakfast TV show Ylen Aamu on Friday morning, Kurvinen said he hoped that Finland would adopt the British model of abandoning coronavirus restrictions as the vaccination rollout progresses.
"When will the number of vaccinated people in Finland be large enough, that there is no risk of overburdening hospitals and that all restrictions can be removed," Kurvinen asked during his appearance on the programme.
The EU Covid passport is due to be introduced in September, Kurvinen added, but there are several problems standing in the way of that happening, such as the complicated enactment process of a new law and the strict legal interpretations of the Finnish Constitution.
The Minister further spoke of people's social responsibility to get the coronavirus vaccine, when offered.
"Society cannot be held hostage to a small, loud, tin-foil-hat-wearing and conspiracy theories-reading minority that will not get the vaccines. We cannot keep having restaurants' opening times tightened, adults' group exercise classes banned and cultural events restricted for months on end," Kurvinen said, adding that "it can't be that we all have to suffer because of this small group of people."