Finland has gone from being hailed as one of the most successful countries in Europe in managing the Covid epidemic to nearing the top in global weekly Covid death statistics, tabloid Ilta-Sanomat (IS) writes.
Indeed, the country surpassed the 4,000-mark in recorded deaths on Thursday, up from 3,000 within a month. In comparison, the build-up to 3,000 deaths had taken over two years.
There are five reasons for this change, according to the Director of Diagnostics at the Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital district (HUS), Lasse Lehtonen.
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Waning vaccine enthusiasm (particularly for the third dose, the coverage rate of which currently stands at 64 percent of the Finnish adult population), more contagious virus mutations, the lack of targeted measures for the immunocompromised and a shift of public attention away from the virus are mostly to blame for the U-turn, according to the HUS director.
"Unfortunately, it must be recognised that the coronavirus pandemic is not over. And we need to cope with this while also dealing with all these other crises," Lehtonen told IS.
Sitra: Finland's position in EU 's preliminary decision-making weak
A lack of transparency in the EU's decision-making processes means that Finland is at a disadvantage when it comes to influencing future laws, the largest daily Helsingin Sanomat (HS) writes on Monday morning, which is also Europe Day.
A Finnish citizen will have an easier time tracking their parcel at the post than tracking EU law-making processes that may also affect Finland, according to a fresh report by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, an independent public foundation.
"In terms of openness, there is something mystical about it; it is not as much a matter of secrecy but rather a stamp of expertise. You could say that [EU law-making] is not part of an open debate," former MP and Sitra advisor Jouni Backman told HS.
Finland's position could be improved if the government set out clearer goals concerning the future EU legislature and provided more comments on the EU Commission's annual strategy, the Sitra report outlined.
Backman added that similar attitudes should exist towards EU decision-making as with domestic legislation. For example, anyone can track the progress of domestic legislation in a matter of a few clicks. The EU could similarly open up its database containing information on EU projects (currently only accessible by the cabinet) to a wider audience, Sitra's report recommends.
Red lippie is back in fashion after two-year-hiatus
With face mask recommendations ending across the country, lipstick is making a comeback after more than two years and some people are thrilled to sport a red lippie again, Tampere-based paper Aamulehti writes.
Aamulehti toured their hometown and asked Tampere's locals what the resurgence of the makeup accessory has meant for them.
"Yay, it feels amazing!" local Anne Rantsi said of the ability to rock her makeup staple again.
"All colours had disappeared from the face behind the mask," lipstick-lover Anna Aspinmaa added.
"I cannot go without it," another local, Terhi Kotilainen, said, adding that for her, red lipstick was a matter of identity.
At the same time, some people are still not used to exposing their full face again. Sanni Tiusanen said she was excited to be wearing lipstick again, but added that not wearing a mask still felt slightly unnerving.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) dropped its general, nationwide face mask recommendation in late April.