Finland’s Prime Minister apologises for going clubbing after contact with COVID

Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin has issued an apology for going out clubbing after being exposed to COVID-19.

The Finnish leader went to a nightclub in Helsinki on Saturday night, when a few hours previously she had been in contact with her foreign minister who had tested positive for the virus.

The prime minister was reported to have stayed at the Butchers nightclub until 4:AM, with photos and video footage published in gossip magazine Seiska.

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Although she was initially told there was no need to isolate due to being fully vaccinated, she was later texted and told to self-isolate, which she says she missed because it had been sent to her work phone which she had left at home.

In a Facebook post on Monday, the 36-year-old Social Democratic politican wrote: “I'm really sorry that I didn't understand I was supposed to do that [isolate].”

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Finland’s guidelines do not require fully vaccinated people to isolate if they come into contact with a person who tests positive for COVID, but they advise avoiding public spaces and social contact if awaiting test results.

Critics have accused Ms Marin of being careless for not testing herself after finding out about the exposure to a positive case, with National Coalition Party MP Nia Laiho labelling Ms Marin “irresponsible”.

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The Prime Minister said she immediately took a test on Sunday after seeing the text on her work phone, which came back negative.

Across the length of the pandemic, Finland COVID case numbers and deaths have been relatively low compared to other countries in Europe, with around 196,000 cases and 1,384 deaths recorded.

[Via: BBC]

Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Digital Editor, follow him on Twitter