notification: Changes in COVID-19 policy at Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College following the autumn break

20.10.2021

In October, COVID-19 restrictions nationwide have been lifted for the most part, with the goal of a return to normal everyday life in small steps. After the autumn holiday week, the Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College will suspend the guidelines on group sizes and safe distances in contact teaching that were in place exceptionally during the COVID-19 epidemic.

notification: We will gradually return to contact teaching from 26.4.

On 12 October 2021, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare issued new recommendations on health safety for early childhood education, schools, educational institutions, and colleges. According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the risk of infection in educational institutions has been low and there is no longer a need to issue a recommendation to use face masks. The general face mask recommendation for education institutions will no longer be in force starting 25 October 2021, after the end of the autumn break.

Use of face masks on campuses

After the autumn break in week 42, the use of face masks on Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College campuses will be at one’s personal discretion. While the mask recommendation will no longer be in force, students and staff members will still be allowed to use masks in the facilities of Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College if they so choose. According to official estimates,

the use of a face mask is recommended if a person does not have full vaccine protection (two vaccine doses) or has not been infected with the COVID-19 virus in the last six months.

In addition, it is a good idea to continue to consider using a face mask at events where larger groups are close together for an extended period of time.

What to do while studying and in common spaces

Following the autumn break, Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College will be suspending COVID-19 related special arrangements affecting group sizes and teaching facilities. As a rule, we will be arranging teaching in accordance with normal group and space sizing. Groups of students can also move freely from one campus to another and participate in joint learning sessions involving multiple groups without restrictions. Recommendations for safe distances, or a safe distance of 2 metres, will also be suspended.

Taking care of yourself is taking care of the others, too

We are all responsible for ensuring the health and wellbeing of everyone at Perho. That is why it is very important that you only come to school when you are completely healthy and asymptomatic. The COVID-19 epidemic is ongoing and flu season is fast approaching, so everyone should actively monitor their own wellbeing and stay at home if symptoms arise (remember also to report any sick leave).

We want to emphasise that as the COVID-19 epidemic continues,

close contact with others, including handshakes and hugs, is still to be avoided. In addition, it is important to follow good hand hygiene and take care to wash your hands regularly, or use hand sanitizer if hand washing is not a possibility. Hand hygiene is especially important when entering campuses, before meals, and when leaving campuses.

What to do if you are infected with or exposed to COVID-19

During the epidemic, Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College has worked actively to minimise the risk of infection in instances of COVID-19 infection or exposure. In practice, this has meant, for example, distance learning and working arrangements, as well as voluntary quarantine periods, even before receiving official instructions. Thus far, we are not aware of any instance of COVID-19 infection in which the infection or chain of infections originated at Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College campuses. The instances of exposure that came to our attention have also been isolated quickly and effectively.

In accordance with the recommendations given to educational institutions by the Ministry of Education and Science and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare on 12 October 2021, in the future, care will be taken to ensure that

any student or staff member found to be infected with COVID-19 will stay at home from on-campus work without delay.

Guidance is provided by epidemiologists and health care professionals. Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College does not independently take measures to trace chains of exposure and does not independently require distance learning or teleworking arrangements after receiving information about possible instances of exposure. Of course, we will follow any instructions issued by health care professionals involving quarantine or operations in the event of a possible infection or exposure.

We will follow the development of the COVID-19 situation, as well as any potential changes in official guidance and recommendations. We ask that you actively follow our notifications on Wilma and on our website, perho.fi.