Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses to continue until 15 November
The Government has extended the validity of the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses until 15 November 2021. The existing regional restrictions on food and beverage service businesses will remain unchanged.
Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in the regions of Southwest Finland, Satakunta, Päijät-Häme, Ostrobothnia, South Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia and Uusimaa, which are all at the community transmission phase of the epidemic, from 31 October
Food and beverage service businesses may serve alcoholic beverages between 7.00 and 00.00 and be open between 5.00 and 1.00.
Food and beverage service businesses that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have only half the normal number of customer seats in use in their indoor and outdoor premises. Other food and beverage service are restricted to 75 per cent of their normal number of customer seats indoors.
All customers must have their own seats at a table or similar in indoor premises.
Businesses who require all customers to present a COVID-19 passport are exempt from the restrictions.
Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses elsewhere in the country, i.e. in the regions where the epidemic is at the acceleration or baseline phase, from 31 October
There are no separate restrictions on the number of customers or on licensing and opening hours.
The obligation to observe the general hygiene guidelines and to keep a safe distance applies in all regions.
Exceptions to restrictions remain unchanged
The restrictions laid down in the decree do not apply to the activities of staff restaurants or to takeaway sales of food to customers. The restrictions on opening hours do not apply to food and beverage service businesses on vessels and aircraft that operate between Finland and other countries or abroad or to food and beverage service businesses that operate at distribution stations for liquid fuels.
Inquiries:
Ismo Tuominen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, firstname.lastname@gov.fi
The Regional State Administrative Agencies will answer questions concerning the practical implementation of the restrictions.