Current information on coronavirus
The City of Hämeenlinna has decided to boost preparedness, follows the situation actively and makes new decisions on the coronavirus situation. The decisions are based on current knowledge and national policy guidelines.
This page consists of information available on www.hameenlinna.fi/koronavirus and is translated into English. We try to update the information every day as soon as translation is ready.
What to do if you suspect that you have contracted coronavirus
(Updated 25.3.2020)
- If your condition worsens or you need advice on treatment, call your health center on weekdays from 8 to 15. In the evenings or at weekends you can contact the emergency department of Central Hospital of Kanta-Häme.
- Do self-assessment if you contacted coronavirus in the Omaolo electronic service. You will get instructions how to do the test on the Omaolo website here.
- A national telephone service at the number 0295 535 535 gives general information and advice on the coronavirus on weekdays 8-21 and Saturdays 9-15.
- Additionally, a chat service has been opened and it offers general information on the corona-situation. The chat is open on weekdays 8- 21 and on Saturdays 9-15. [The service is primarily available in Finnish and, where possible, also in Swedish and English.]*
- Outside the office hours, if you are sick, you can contact the emergency department of Central Hospital of Kanta-Häme.
- Kanta-Häme Central Hospital makes corona tests only for people who are working for health care and people who need emergency help and hospital care.
Social and health services
Corona health station
(Updated 26.3.2020)
A new corona health station opened on 19.3.2020 at the Hämeenlinna Main Health Center, in G-wing. The station is open on weekdays 8-18, by appointment, through your standard health center. Read Health Services Information Bulletin.
Visiting bans
(Updated 18.3.2020)
People who are at the highest risk of contracting the coronavirus, the elderly and the sick, must be protected from corona-infection in every way!
On 13.3.2020, the City of Hämeenlinna imposed a ban on visiting nonstop nursing homes operated by the city (homes for the elderly and the disabled). The City recommends that private nursing homes impose the same restriction.
The risk-groups, the elderly and the sick should be protected in every way from coronavirus infection.
Visits to hospitals, nursing homes or homes of the elderly should be avoided when sick or even with slight symptoms of the flu. If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, and have returned from abroad, do not pay any visits.The Vanajavesi Hospital
All visits are banned at Vanajavesi Hospital from 17.3.2020.
Care Services for the Elderly
(Updated 20.3.2020)
The City of Hämeenlinna provides care services for the elderly every day, despite the exceptional situation in order to ensure wellbeing of those who have to stay at home. No one should be left unattended.
However, due to the corona-situation, some modifications to regular short-term care and temporary clients might occur.
Health centers
(Updated 20.3.2020)
Necessary treatment and home visits are made for patients, for example suffering from cancer, if they cannot be rescheduled.
Prescription renewals through electronic system.
If an individual’s medical condition requires an assessment, the person should contact the care center where they are being treated for their illness.
City health centers will cancel or reschedule nonurgent nurse and doctor appointments due to the coronavirus situation.
Dental healthcare is currently canceling nonurgent appointments of the patients belonging to the risk-group. Urgent appointments will be managed. Patients with coronavirus who need dental care will be referred to Kanta-Häme Central Hospital.
Social work
(Updated 20.3.2020)
Early support family work service (Varhaisen tuen perhetyö) offers quick help on the phone. The service hours have been prolonged due to the coronavirus epidemic.
The City of Hämeenlinna opened a helpline in everyday matters for the region residents on 19.3.2020 at 10. The service is called “Akuutti arkiapu” and you can read about it here Akuutti arkiapu-helpline.
Call 03 621 7200 to ask for the service. Helpline is open from Monday to Friday 9-18 and on Saturday and Sunday 10-14.
For the time being, appointments of social work for adult clients continue during the coronavirus epidemic. Social workers will contact customers by telephone and electronically.
If necessary, face-to-face appointments will continue as before, following the coronavirus guidelines i.e. avoiding handshaking and close contact.
Telephone helpline of the Hämeenlinna Social Services, tel. 03 621 3303, is open from Monday to Friday 9-16.
You can also always notify us of your need for assistance electronically.
Mental Health Services
(Updated 23.2.2020)
A professional mental health adviser is available on the phone 03 621 3312. The service is open from Monday to Friday 9-15. The service is addressed to those who need mental support in coping with the difficult situation of pandemic.
Psychiatric nurses in health centers are available during their on-call hours.
Toppari – Support Service for the Youth
(Updated 24.3.2020)
The Toppari Support Service helps when everyday life gets overwhelming. Call 050 571 7763 (Mon 18-20, Tue 12-14, Wed 18-20 and Thu 12-14). More information on Toppari website. The service is open 25.3.-14.5.2020.
Urgent social work services in Kanta-Häme and Domestic Violence Center
(Updated 19.3.2020)
Kanta-Häme social emergency helpline gives support only in urgent social care situations. The phone number is on 03 6217100.
The shelter in Hämeenlinna is open normally and the shelter’s personnel is prepared for different situations. Shelter’s website.
School Health Care
(Updated 23.3.2020)
While schools remain closed, school health staff is delegated to other tasks. Contact information to substituting school nurses has been given through Wilma-service.
Regardless of the pandemic situation, school health care is able to provide personalized support and assistance. Please contact us if you need help!
Contact information to a school nurse available has been provided through Wilma-service to all students.
Maternity and child care services (Neuvola)
(Updated 25.3.2020)
- Visit NEUVOLA only if you are healthy!
- During the pandemic situation, only one adult person can accompany a child during a visit at mother-child health clinic (Neuvola).
- Due to the corona-pandemic, mother-child health checks have been reduced.
- Health checks for the pregnant and newborn babies (less than 1 year old) are conducted at the clinics. Health checks for other age groups are carried out only if needed.
- Health checks of newborn babies are carried out at child care clinics (Neuvola) instead of at homes.
- Vaccinations are given, partially at schools.
- Maternity and Child Care Clinics offer personalized support and care to mothers and children regardless the corona situation.
Student Health Care and Health Counsel for the Youth
(Updated 25.3.2020)
Due to the pandemic situation, the work of student health centers has been reduced. Urgent and necessary visits will be made until 6th of April and later the Health Counsel for the Youth will offer service for everyone in need.
Note! For Grade 2 students, one public health nurse at Tavastia Vocational College is available in April. Contact: nurse Anu Halinen, tel. +358 50 3824 579.
Health Counsel for the Youth is available on the phone from Monday to Friday, 8-15. Nurses are available at phone numbers: 050 546 1389 and 050 466 0324. If you need PH doctor’s or psychologist’s help during the corona-situation, contact a nurse first.
Family Care Unit -Kanerva
(Updated 20.3.2020)
More information on the work of the Family Care Unit – Kanerva during the coronavirus epidemic, you can find of the Kanerva website.
Education and welfare services
Schools
(Updated 24.3.2020)
18.3.2020 basic education started remote learning at homes and only partially continues at schools.
Schools are well-prepared for this exceptional situation. We hope that school children will also receive support from their parents and guardians so that the daily routine at home goes in line with school routine.
Questions concerning the remote studying can be addressed directly to the class teacher.
Messages concerning changes in school transport have been sent to those families to which it applies, that is those schoolchildren who study at schools and need school transport.
The City of Hämeenlinna has cancelled all school trips abroad from 11.3.2020 until further notice. The restriction also applies to all foreign guests visiting the schools administered by the city of Hämeenlinna. Foreign groups are not allowed to visit schools until further notice.
All school events, parents-teachers meetings etc. planned for this spring are postponed. The information on the spring ceremonies will be given later.
Early education
(Updated 24.3.2020)
As of 18.3.2020, day care centers in Hämeenlinna remain open in order to enable work of parents and guardians in crucial and emergency sectors. It is recommended that those children for whom parents or guardians can organize home care will stay at home.
Questions and answers concerning the corona-situation in early education services.
Pre-primary education children who stay at home will receive instructions on how the remote learning is organized. The instructions will be sent through Daisy.
Early education open clubs are suspended from 18.3.2020.
The March and April payments for the early education will be refunded if a child was absent from the education between the period of 18.3.-13.4.2020. More information on the refund you can find here.
Children who return from abroad stay at home for 2 weeks; they don’t go either to school or child care center. If a parent or guardian of a child returns from abroad, but a child was at that time in Finland and has no symptoms of disease, he or she may go to school or childcare center.
Particular attention is paid to the cleaning quality in day care centers and family day care centers. Parents and guardians are asked to pay special attention to their own and their children hands hygiene and to remember to wash hands before and after the day at care center. Centers also pay attention to hands hygiene together with children.
All school events, parents-teachers meetings etc. planned for this spring are postponed. The information on the spring ceremonies will be given later.
Cultural Path events that take place outside day care centers are suspended. The information on the spring ceremonies will be given later.
Services for the Youth
(Updated 19.3.2020)
Services for the Youth are only available online for the time being. You can find profiles of workers, places and Ohjaamo in social media as well as on the staff website.
Other education centers
Tavastia’s Lukio – remote studying
Matriculation examination rescheduled
Vanajavesi Adult Education Center suspends all courses
Tavastia Education Center – remote studying
Culture
(Updated 24.3.2020)
All events organized by the City of Hämeenlinna are canceled until the end of May. Residents are advised to follow the information about the events organized by other agents through their own channels.
The external use of the multi-purpose facilities (Voutila Center) is suspended until further notice. The City recommends that all events at the Partnership House (Kumppanuustalo) and the Western Community Center are canceled. The premises all closed.
Museums, libraries and library cars are closed from 18.3.2020. Library books can be returned to boxes. If you forgot your PIN code, you can find instruction what to do here. Check the library’s website for borrowing e-books.
Events at Verkatehdas (planned for 13.3.-31.5.2020) are canceled or postponed.
All Children’s Saturdays organized by the ARX Children and Youth Center will be canceled for the time being.
Sport
(Updated 20.3.2020)
Hämeenlinna swimming pools and their gyms and sports facilities will be closed until Easter.
School gyms and youth centers are closed.
Hämeenlinna Sport Center (Hämeenlinnan Liikuntahallit Oy) is closed 18.3.-13.4.2020. The decision concerns also ice halls and ball halls. Trainings are cancelled in Timmi.
Seasonal guided trainings are suspended.
Gyms in Hämeenlinna region as well as Loimua Areena will be closed until Easter.
Temppulaari and public skating will be suspended until the end of spring. Current information on the sports hall website.
City administration
(Updated 20.3.2020)
- City Hall and Town Hall are closed until 13.4.2020.
- City administration services and construction supervision services operate on the phone and electronically.
- City administration services in Wetteri 3rd floor are closed for customers until further notice. Customer service on the phone: 03 621 2310 form Monday to Friday, 9.00-15.00. Emails can be addressed at mypalvelupiste(at)hameenlinna.fi. Documents can be delivered to Kastelli service point.
Urban Service
The urban services and construction supervision services operate on the phone and electronically.
City administration services in Wetteri 3rd floor are closed for customers until further notice. Customer service on the phone: 03 621 2310 from Monday to Friday, 9-15. Emails can be addressed at mypalvelupiste@hameenlinna.fi. Documents can be delivered to Kastelli service point.
Public transportation
Current information and how the situation with coronavirus affects the public transportation in Hämeenlinna region can be found on the public transportation website.
Travel instructions for the personnel of the Hämeenlinna City
The City of Hämeenlinna wants to ensure the safety of its personnel (3,500 people working for The City of Hämeenlinna) and, as part of preparations, the personnel has been instructed to avoid unnecessary risk of the spread of the disease. All business travel abroad will be suspended until further notice and meetings will be held remotely if only possible.
The instruction refers to business travel abroad and home, as well as returning from holidays. Instructions concerning cancellation of visitor groups and city events has also been provided.
Information about the coronavirus and its symptoms
Coronaviruses are a set of viruses that have been detected in both humans and animals. Common human coronaviruses include 229E, HKU1, NL63 and OC43. They usually cause a mild respiratory infection.
How does coronavirus COVID-19 spread?
The novel coronavirus primarily spreads by droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The viruses cannot survive in the air.
The estimated incubation period for the disease is 2–12 days, with an average of around 5 days.
At risks groups
The risk of contracting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the elderly and at-risk groups is higher than within other groups. The virus is more likely to cause serious symptoms in the elderly and in people who already have an underlying condition such as diabetes, heart disease or lung disease.
The number of cases diagnosed in children and young people has been low and their symptoms have been mild. The largest number of severe cases and deaths have been recorded in people aged over 70, who already have an underlying disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure or a cardiovascular disease. People aged over 80 face the highest risk.
How to prevent coronavirus COVID-19?
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
- Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. Use a tissue or your sleeve, not your hands, to cover your mouth while coughing or sneezing.