The rising cost of housing is eroding Finland's economic competitiveness, according to the business daily Kauppalehti.
The paper quotes Helsinki University Professor Mari Vaattovaara, who says that higher prices mean longer periods spent repaying mortgages, which in turn discourage people from moving house.
According to Kauppalehti, it would take an average earner around 20 years to pay back the loan for a 30 square-metre studio outside of Helsinki's city centre. For people on lower pay, it could take closer to 30 years, the paper estimates, while the average earner could pay back a home loan in Turku or Tampere in about half that time.
The government is expected to bring forward proposals to support house buyers later this month. In December the working group tasked with the government's plans released a report suggesting that state-backed loans could be one way to support would-be homeowners who are facing high prices.
Speaking to Kauppalehti, Aki Kangasharju, CEO of the economic think tank Etla, warns against such a plan, saying that the government's efforts should be put into stimulating housing supply, and not further boosting demand.
Mortgage applications in Finland hit record numbers in December last year, with the average repayment period further lengthening to 21.5 years.
Vaccine self-sufficiency a must
As experts from the National Advisory Committee on Vaccines (Krar) are expected to discuss AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine later today, Tampere local paper Aamulehti publishes an editorial calling for more vaccine development to take place in Finland.
"In recent weeks it has become painfully clear just how dependent we are on international pharmaceutical companies and their products," the paper writes.
In January production issues at AstraZeneca led to knock-on delays in mass vaccination programmes across the EU, in a development THL Chief Specialist Mia Kontio called "a major disappointment."
The AstraZeneca vaccine was approved by the European Medicines Agency last Friday.
Aamulehti highlights the vaccine research currently underway at Tampere University, with a new vaccine production facility being built at the university's Kauppi campus, as a source of hope that Finland will become more self-sufficient in vaccine production in future.
"Hopefully, the coronavirus pandemic will not just leave misery in its wake, but also an increased appreciation for science and research," the editorial says.
Are vegetarian pupils getting enough nutrition?
Helsingin Sanomat has spent six weeks comparing the nutritional values of vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals served in Helsinki's primary schools.
The paper says the results were surprising: the vegetarian meals contained, on average, half as much protein as the meat and fish-based foods on offer.
On one day, the paper claims that an oriental bean casserole contained one-fifth of the protein found in the meat alternative, despite beans being considered a food high in protein.
HS's other findings across the six-week period showed that the schools' vegetarian meals contained on average 16 percent fewer calories, 44 percent less protein and 430 percent more sugar - although the paper points out this is due to natural sugars in the vegetarian options, as opposed to added sugar.
Nutrition experts Mikael Fogelholm and Maijaliisa Erkkola from Helsinki University aren't alarmed, however.
According to HS, they say that health issues relating to nutrition aren't usually caused by people not getting enough protein or consuming enough calories.
"Instead, you have too much, as well as too much saturated fat and salt. This applies to a large proportion of children and young people, and is partly linked to recommendations that they eat more meat," Erkkola told HS.